Politics · Philippines Bureau
Palace hits back at Tinio over critical remarks on haze response
The presidential palace has rebuked ACT Teachers party-list representative Antonio Tinio for using disrespectful language in criticizing the administration's handling of transboundary haze pollution from Indonesia.
LSN Philippines ·
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro on Friday condemned the lawmaker's comments, characterizing them as inappropriate coming from an educator. Tinio made the remarks during House sponsorship and plenary deliberations on proposed legislation related to the regional air quality crisis.
The exchange marks the latest friction between the administration and the minority party-list group over environmental policy and disaster response. The transboundary haze, which has periodically affected air quality across the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations, has emerged as a contentious policy issue in recent congressional debates.
Castro's rebuke underscores heightened tensions in the legislature as lawmakers grapple with regional environmental challenges and the adequacy of government responses. The incident reflects broader disagreements within Congress regarding bilateral approaches to cross-border pollution and coordination with Indonesian authorities on wildfire prevention and control measures.
The House is currently deliberating measures intended to strengthen the country's response mechanisms to transboundary haze and related environmental concerns stemming from regional forest fires.