New party-list solon takes oath

MANILA, Philippines - A new representative from party-list Coop-National Confederation of Cooperatives (Natcco) was sworn in Monday afternoon, replacing Guillermo Cua who passed away last December. Jose Ping-ay took his oath before House Speaker Prospero Nograles at the start of the first plenary since Congress' resumption of session. In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, Ping-ay's political affairs officer Ellen Teh said the new lawmaker, an engineer, hails from Ilocos Sur. Ping-ay replaced Cua, who passed away on December 17. Cua was diagnosed to have liver cancer last November. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV