De Lima Aims To Integrate All Existing Election Laws Into One Election Code

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has introduced a measure integrating all existing election laws, regulations and rules in the country into a single election code to make it attuned to the changing electoral landscape and emerging election technologies. De Lima, a noted election lawyer before she joined government service, filed Senate Bill (SB) No. 625, which aims to create a multi-sectoral Election Code Recodification Committee (ECRC) that will oversee the drafting of a unified election code. “We should again initiate efforts to recodify the election laws to make sure that all existing legislation are in harmony with each other…

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson convened the province’s Task Force on African swine fever (ASF) amid the continuing threat of the disease to the Philippines’ swine industry. “There is a need to protect the multi-billion swine industry of the province against the devastating effect of the ASF outbreak,” the governor said in Executive Order 2019-23. Negros Occidental is the country’s number one producer of backyard swine. The province has a total swine population of 508,709 heads, including 451,035 heads from backyard raisers and 57,674 heads from the commercial sector as of January 2019. Lacson chairs the task force, which…

A city councilor is pushing for a ban on the selling of cosmetic products that had been found to contain mercury and related toxic substances. City Councilor Lourdes Casabuena filed a proposed resolution urging Congress and concerned government agencies to set proper regulations and prohibitions on the selling and distribution of cosmetic products, such as skin whitening creams, which are reportedly laced with mercury. Casabuena cited the need for the national government to look into the matter as it could pose serious health risks to consumers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), she said, should conduct appropriate actions and ensure…