Senator Imee Marcos statement about the rumored "Senate Coup"

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Nasosobrahan na ko sa mga kudeta! Pero kailangan kong sumagot sa pahayag na ito ng Pangulo ng Senado tungkol sa RCEP:

"Maging ang pagkaantala sa pagpasa ng RCEP ay dahil sa kakulangan ng suporta na nakuha nito mula sa pangunahing sponsor mismo na siyang namumuno ng Committee on Foreign Relations," na tila pagtukoy sa akin.

Bago pa man naipadala ng Office of the President ang RCEP ratification package sa Senado noong Nobyembre 29, nagsagawa na ako ng pampublikong konsultasyon noong Setyembre para himukin ang DA, DTI, at BOC na tumugon sa mga isyung inaalala ng mga sektor ng agrikultura at MSME.

Ang ratification package ay isinangguni sa aking komite noong Disyembre 6 lang. Wala pang isang linggo, noong Disyembre 12, nagsagawa ako ng unang pormal na pagdinig. Muli, hindi tumugon ang mga kinauukulang departamento.

Humingi ako ng tulong kay Senate President Zubiri para kongkreto itong matugunan ng mga kaukukulang ahensya pero walang nangyari.

Kaya, agad kong sinabi sa pamunuan ng Senado na hindi ko mai-sponsoran ang panukala kung walang sapat na proteksyon sa mga magsasaka, mangingisda, at MSME, gayundin ang mga agresibong hakbang laban sa smuggling.

Maaaring nakaapekto ang pagbabago sa Executive Secretary kaya nahuli ang pagpapasa ng RCEP. Pero hindi nila pwedeng ipilit na ako ang dahilan ng pagkaantala ng pagpapasa nito.

Robredo's Angat Buhay Inks Deal to Build Disaster Preparedness and Response Center

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Angat Buhay Foundation, the non-government organization (NGO) founded by former Vice President Leni Robredo, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Friday with charity organization CSS Gives Philippines (CSSGivesPH) to build a disaster preparedness and response center.

The Angat Buhay Center for Disaster Preparedness and Response or ABCDPR will be established to further enhance the capacity of the NGO in disaster preparedness and response, according to a statement. With Robredo serving as witness, the MOA was signed at the Museo ng Pag-Asa in Quezon City by Angat Buhay Executive Director Raffy Magno and CSSGivesPH Executive Director Winston Toledo.

The MOA-signing commences the scouting of the location of the center, according to Angat Buhay. Once operational, the disaster preparedness and response center will (a) provide training and capacity-building of communities in disaster risk reduction, management, and response; (b) serve as an assessment and preparatory headquarters for coordinated response with affiliate organizations and government agencies; and (c) mobilize volunteers and rescue operations in times of disaster.

“It is a center for bayanihan in times of need,” said Magno. “This disaster preparedness and response center means faster and more equipped volunteers and rescue operations to better serve our kababayan,” he added. Through CSSGivesPH, the center will initially also have a command van, ambulance, rescue vehicle, and personnel for daily operations.

Robredo’s Angat Buhay has deployed volunteers and relief operations during times of disaster in the past, including in 16 areas from all over Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao hit by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng last year. The NGO said that it expects the disaster preparedness and response center to be operational within the year.

7 Benefits of a Multilingual Business

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If the motto of a business is to run an online store or website while attracting customers from all across the globe, having a multilingual website is a must. According to a survey, 72% of customers worldwide, when they open a website, try to browse it in their native language. Therefore, any business that wants to create a global brand should shift its focus to creating a multilingual website. Even though English is the most widely spoken language, a massive percentage of the population can neither read nor speak English. Furthermore, even if they can do so, they still seek content in their native language for comfort. Here is a list of seven benefits of a multilingual business website.

 
1. A Wider Audience Reach

Firstly, a multilingual website helps the business to expand its audience reach. Only 25% of internet users are native English speakers. In other words, there is a possibility to reach 75% of the global audience through a multilingual website. When businesses offer their customers the option of multiple languages, like converting the content from English to Tagalog, they create an opportunity to work with a new customer segment. It directly gives a positive boost to the revenue of the business.

 
2. Improved Customer Satisfaction

Localized websites boost customer satisfaction by indicating that the business cares about its needs. When a customer sees the effort a company is putting in to create a multilingual website to help meet their needs, it increases their satisfaction and results in customer loyalty. Furthermore, customer loyalty brings a ton of other benefits with itself, like better reviews for the business and more clients.

 
3. Improves Search Engine Visibility

While showing results to their users, search engines consider the language in which the user has made an inquiry. Internet users prefer to search in their native language because they are familiar with the terminologies. In such a scenario, businesses selling their products or services in a global market can benefit from improved search engine visibility. Of course, a user should have the option to convert any native language like Tagalog to English, but at the same time, creating content in the vernacular language is essential to improve the website's visibility across the globe.

4. Low Advertising Costs

As English is the most widely spoken language, advertising in English is expensive compared to other languages. In addition, it also gives rise to stiff competition, and subsequently, the advertising and marketing costs associated with it are higher. Similarly, the advertising cost of a multilingual website is comparatively cheaper because of the low competition in the same niche. An additional benefit is that this reach-oriented approach also reduces marketing costs.

 
5. Increased Conversion Rate

People prefer to purchase from a brand that they can understand. If they need help understanding the language used on a website, they will refrain from making a purchase. It reduces the conversion rate of the website and increases the bounce rate. Foreign customers who stumble across a website running in one language would often turn away to another website that provides multilingual support. Hence, having a multilingual website can increase the conversion rate and reduce the website's bounce rate.

 
6. Builds Trust

Customers prefer browsing websites and trusting brands that provide information in their language. When customers can understand the website's content, they trust the brand. However, while creating a multilingual website to build customer confidence, it is crucial to keep other factors in mind, like the design and functionalities of the website. Creating a multilingual website is an excellent way of removing cultural barriers as a hindrance to gaining international customers' trust.

 
7. Provides Competitive Advantage

A business can only be successful or create a legacy when it has a competitive advantage or unique selling proposition. Many websites run either in one or two languages. When the internet is flooded with such websites, having a multilingual website automatically gives a competitive advantage. It also improves the brand image compared to other companies. Additionally, multilingual websites are an excellent way of creating brand credibility.


Most large eCommerce businesses and other enterprises run multilingual websites for the reasons mentioned above. Therefore, any business that wants to flourish locally and internationally should invest in creating a multilingual website.