By Sonny Angara There is growing excitement about the implementation of Republic Act 11981 or the Tatak Pinoy (TP) Act — the law that will pave the way for stronger collaboration between the government and the private sector towards the development of Philippine industries, sustainable economic growth and greater opportunities for our people in their own country. …
Better Days
Breaking barriers and making history
By Sonny Angara As we celebrate National Women’s Month, we look back to the accomplishments of Filipinas and the issues that are relevant to them as part of the continuous effort to promote women empowerment and gender equality. In the past year, we were witness to several milestones for some outstanding Filipino women. The Filipinas women’s …
Unleashing the full potential of tourism as a driver of growth
By Sonny Angara Since the economy opened up after the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism has been a key contributor to the growth of the Philippine economy. Based on official data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, tourism made up 6.2 percent of the economy as measured by gross domestic product. The tourism sector is also an important …
Addressing the gaps on gov’t procurement
By Sonny Angara More than 20 years have passed since Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) was enacted into law. Introduced by my father, the former Senate President Edgardo Angara, the GPRA was considered a world-class, landmark law for putting in place strong mechanisms to curb corruption in government procurement. In …
The Tatak Pinoy Act — A giant leap towards industrialization
By Sonny Angara It is not often that we see the enactment of a law that was crafted with lofty aspirations and with a potential to be a game-changer for our country. After five years of conceptualizing, continuous research and consultations, the Tatak Pinoy or Proudly Filipino bill is now a law (Republic Act 11981). …
Bringing higher education to a higher level
By Sonny Angara In the current deliberations on the proposed amendments to the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, one of the overarching themes has been the need for the country to catch up with the rest of the world. For a time, the Philippines was far ahead of many of its Southeast Asian neighbors …
Revisiting economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution
By Sonny Angara Over three decades have passed since the 1987 Constitution was ratified. It was crafted immediately after a regime change that emerged after a peaceful revolution. A lot has changed over the years. Globally, countries have opened up their economies as a necessary step towards growth. Our ASEAN neighbors, who were once behind …
FIBA World Cup 2023 — A feather in the cap of PH
By Sonny Angara It is not that often that a country is given an opportunity to take part in an event that has a global following and one that has the potential to reap huge benefits for the host. In 2023, we were fortunate to have been selected as one of three countries, alongside Japan …
2023 in Review: Sowing the seeds for a more progressive Philippines
By Sonny Angara Looking back at 2023, we could say that the Senate and Congress as a whole had a very productive year in terms of fulfilling its mandate of crafting meaningful laws for the benefit of our people and the country. Congress had a strong working relationship with the executive branch. We were able …