Press Release

I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Mary Ann de Vera, our kababayan who lost her life amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. No Filipino should have to pay the ultimate price simply because she sought honest work to provide for her loved ones.In the short term, our government must act with urgency to ensure the safety of every Filipino in the affected regions. This must be our foremost priority. I echo calls for the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Migrant Workers to ensure that contingency and evacuation plans are fully operational, and for the said agencies to provide direct, proactive communication with our OFWs in vulnerable areas.Beyond the immediate crisis, however, lies a deeper, chronic, long-term challenge.For decades, mill...

Senator Chiz Escudero urged government agencies to intensify coordinated protection measures for Filipinos across the Middle East, citing the more than 2.2 million Filipinos living and working in the region and the over 1,100 Filipinos currently in Iran who may be affected by the escalating tensions following recent strikes in and around Iranian territory.In issuing the call, Escudero stressed that the sheer scale of the Filipino presence in the region demands a response that is both urgent and anticipatory.Escudero acknowledged President Marcos’ directive to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to activate contingency plans and account for Filipinos in affected areas. He said this swift action is essential, especially with Saudi A...

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero will lead Senate hearings on a priority measure that will disqualify relatives of public officials from entering into government contracts, following his appointment as chairperson of a newly created subcommittee under the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation.The Senate approved Escudero’s designation during plenary on Monday after Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri disclosed that the move was made at the request of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chair of the parent committee. The chamber then referred the proposal under Senate Bill No. 783 to Escudero’s subcommittee, underscoring its role in bolstering transparency and accountability in public procurement.The senator from Sorsogon, who principally a...

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is urging the national government to aggressively market the new 99‑year lease terms under Republic Act No. 12252, saying the measure must be positioned as a long‑term anchor for jobs, capital, and development.Escudero issued the call as the Philippine economy expanded by only 4.4 percent in 2025, below the government’s 5.5 to 6.5 percent target and slower than the 5.5 percent posted in 2024. He warned that the country must compensate for weaker growth by strengthening investor confidence and accelerating structural reforms.“The law is already in place. What we need now is aggressive promotion and clear messaging to investors that the Philippines is ready for long‑term partnerships,” he said.The veteran legislator noted that foreign direct in...

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero welcomed the Department of Education’s (DepEd) designation of Sorsogon as pilot area for its expanded classroom construction initiative, saying the province’s selection is a recognition of the local government unit’s (LGU) long-standing commitment to better education.In commending the initiative, Escudero said the move affirms the principle he earlier advocated: capable LGUs, when empowered through national partnerships, can accelerate progress in critical sectors like education.The senator has earlier called on the national government to pursue a tripartite agreement among DepEd, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), to empower qualified LGUs to achieve accelerated growth through improved inf...

The SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) is now accepting applications for its SM College Scholarship Program for School Year 2026–2027, open to qualified incoming college freshmen until February 28, 2026. Complete application details are available at www.sm-foundation.org. The SM College Scholarship Program is now open for applications for School Year 2026–2027, continuing SM Foundation’s commitment to accessible education. Now in its 33rd year nationwide, the SM College Scholarship Program continues the vision of SM Group founder Henry Sy, Sr., who believed education is a powerful driver of social mobility. The scholarship provides full tuition coverage, monthly stipends, enrichment activities, part-time work opportunities during school breaks, and potential employm...

Amid rising global concern over the Nipah virus, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero urged health and border authorities to maintain strict vigilance and ensure that preparedness systems remain fully operational.Escudero said that although current health advisories place the Philippines at low risk, developments in neighboring regions underscore the need for sustained, proactive monitoring.“Public safety depends not only on rapid response but on continuous readiness,” he stressed, noting that several Asian countries have already tightened airport health checks following recent Nipah‑related developments abroad.The Philippines must match this level of alertness to safeguard travelers and communities, he pointed out.Nipah virus, first detected in Malaysia in 1998, has resurfa...

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is calling on the national government to advance the proposed tripartite agreement among the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), saying the framework will empower qualified local government units (LGUs) to achieve accelerated growth through improved infrastructure, stronger rural connectivity, and better school facilities.In his recent conversation with Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, Escudero said he was informed that the proposed agreement identifies two key requirements for LGUs that will be prioritized: demonstrated capacity to implement and complete projects, and a stable peace‑and‑order environment that allows development programs to proceed without dis...

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency–Regional Office Negros Island Region conducted drug testing for personnel of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency–Negros Island Region as part of the government’s nationwide mandatory drug testing program. The activity was held at the NICA–NIR Regional Office in Bacolod City in support of the agency’s Drug-Free Workplace Policy on Monday, Jan. 26. The drug testing was led by PDEA RO–NIR Assistant Regional Director Marjorie Ballesteros with technical support from Adonis Abueva, chief chemist of PDEA RO6, and was coordinated with NICA–NIR under Regional Director Victor Wanchakan. A total of eight NICA–NIR personnel underwent drug testing, all of whom tested negative. PDEA RO–NIR said the activity re...

After filing the VAT-free electricity to ease household costs, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has filed Senate Bill No. 498 to mandate insurance coverage and additional benefits for line workers who build, maintain, and repair the country’s electrical transmission and distribution systems.  “They perform both critical and dangerous work,” Escudero said in the bill’s explanatory note. “Yet a number of them do so bereft of any form of coverage against death, accidents, illness, and other fortuitous events that could be sustained in the line of duty.”  The proposed Line Workers Insurance and Benefits Act seeks to require private distribution utilities, electric cooperatives, and transmission or grid operators to provide insurance coverage and entitlements such as retire...