Author: teambam

Spare No One in Pork Barrel Probe! – Sen. Bam

Senator Bam Aquino stressed that the full force of the law should be imposed to those who benefited from the P10-billion pork barrel scam.

“The government should not spare anyone in this investigation. If they do, it will send a wrong signal to the public that anyone can pocket billions and get away with it easily,” said Aquino.

Aquino made the reaction after it was reported that alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles asked the government to spare her children from prosecution.

“How can her children be spared from this investigation when whistleblowers revealed that they were the ones forging the signatures of Malampaya Fund ghost beneficiaries,” Aquino said.

According to the whistleblowers, Aquino said Napoles’ children Jo Christine and James Christopher allegedly received the funds that were funnelled to bogus non-government organizations if she was not at home.

“Testimonies show that they are major participants in this scheme and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and not be treated with kids’ gloves,” the senator emphasized.

Also, Aquino said Napoles should face the Senate after she recovers from vaginal bleeding and divulge to the public the truth

“After she recovers, she should face the Senate once and for all, tell what the public wants to know,” Aquino said.

“This way, we will let the truth prevail and punish those involved in the scam,” he added.

Sen. Bam Supports Coco Levy Trust Fund Act Filed by Farmers

Senator Bam Aquino expressed support behind a measure filed by several farmer organizations through a petition for Indirect Initiative that seeks to create a trust fund from the P73-billion coco levy fund for the development of the coconut industry.

Aquino personally joined members of the Koalisyon para sa Ugnayang Magniniyog or KILUS-Magniniyog as they filed Coconut Farmers Trust Fund Act with Senate Secretary Oscar Yabes.

Section 3 (b) and Section 11 of Republic Act 6735 or the “The Initiative and Referendum Act” allows people to submit legislative measures to Congress for action through indirect initiative.

Aquino stressed that the coco levy fund should not be left idle and instead should be fully utilized for the development of coconut farmers, who are among the poorest of the poor in the country.

“We’re hoping that the fund will be used for the development of the coconut industry and the farmers,” said Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

According to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), the average net income of an agricultural household in the Philippines is at least Php61,000 per year or just a little over Php5,000 per month.

However, Aquino said coconut farmers are earning just between P16,842 to P23,000 per year.

The Supreme Court earlier declared the coco levy fund belongs to the government and should be used for the welfare of coconut farmers.

The measure filed by coconut farmers aims to use the recovered coco levy funds to develop the country’s coconut industry and benefit small coconut farmers.

Through the trust fund, marginalized coconut farmers will be assisted in developing coconut-based enterprises that can compete in the global market.

Human Resource Development Key to Inclusive Growth – Sen. Bam

The government should put premium in developing the quality of human resources, as it will help the country achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.

“The best thing about the Philippines is the Filipino, so it’s high time we invest in the further development of our people,” said Senator Bam Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, as he echoed an earlier position by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte.

Aquino also encouraged schools to help in the development of human resources by providing training and other capacity building measures to arm students with additional skills when they turn professional in the future.

“Aside from this, we should provide added training to our seasoned workers so they will not be left behind in these modern times,” the senator added.

Aquino stressed that strengthening human resources development will also help create more jobs in the country, particularly in areas of agriculture, tourism, infrastructure development, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, and business process outsourcing (BPOs).

“With jobs available for more Filipinos, the unemployment rate and poverty incidence in the country will go down,” Aquino said. Aquino added that the human resources development is crucial especially with the 2015 ASEAN Integration fast approaching.

“We need to develop our human resources now so we can be ahead of the competition for the lion’s share of the market composed of 600 million people,” Aquino stressed.

With capacity building is one of the areas of cooperation identified in the 2015 ASEAN integration, Aquino said investing in human resources would empower the country to face the challenges of integration.

 

Photo source: pcauthority.com.au

Print Ads Imposing Age Limit on Applicants Equal to Discrimination – DOLE

Billboards and advertisements imposing age limit on applicants is tantamount to discrimination, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

Assistant Secretary Gloria Tango made the pronouncement during the Senate hearing on the proposed measure to remove age limit for job applicants.

“Putting age limit on billboards for a job vacancy is considered discrimination,” Tango said in response to Senator Bam Aquino’s query regarding the practice of employers in imposing age restrictions on applicants.

However, Tango said employers get away with it because there is no penalty for such action.

Tango added that some employers are not aware that putting age limit on advertisements for job openings is already equivalent to discrimination.

“Information dissemination is one area where we can intensify our advocacy against discrimination,” Tango emphasized.

Aquino earlier committed to work against practice of companies to hire employees based on age, calling it discriminatory on the part of workers who still want to be productive citizens.

As part of his promise, Aquino will work on to add age as a basis on the bill that he filed seeking to prohibit and penalize discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, civil status, HIV status and other medical condition, among others.

Explaining his bill, Aquino said that while the Philippines was a signatory to numerous international agreements that seek to ensure respect for the human rights of all persons, discrimination is still prevalent in schools, workplaces, public service, as well as commercial establishments.

“In schools, workplaces, commercial establishments, public service, police and military, prejudicial practices and policies based on sexual orientation, gender and cultural identity limit the exercise and enjoyment of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as impede or delay the delivery of basic services,” Aquino said.

Lack of True Inclusive Growth Dips Down PH Rating – Sen. Bam

Senator Bam Aquino points the country’s drop in the 2014 World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) to lack of true inclusive growth.

“If there is true inclusive growth, our global competitiveness will further improve,” said Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Aquino made the assessment after the country slipped four notches in the WCY despite the country’s 7.2 percent GDP growth — the second highest among countries ranked in the report.

The country’s rating was affected by five critical challenges, including infrastructure, corruption, unemployment and underemployment, undeveloped financial system and natural disasters.

While admitting that the country’s woes have been compounded by calamities and high-profile cases, the senator also said government needs to improve on in its inclusive growth strategies that will address unemployment and the economic gap that divides the rich and the poor and ultimately build a stronger, more sustainable economy.

“Our growth has not reflected true progress for everyone in the country.  It is urgent that we do something about our youth and unemployed,” he added. “We can become more competitive when we empower our labor sector; we want a country where no one is left behind.”

Investigate Rampant Cybersex Activities Involving Minors! – Sen. Bam

Senator Bam Aquino expressed alarm over the reported rampant cyber pornographic activities involving minors in the country.

According to Aquino, the Philippines has been listed by international watchdog Virtual Global Task Force as among the top ten countries with rampant cyber pornographic activities involving mostly boys and girls age 10-14.

Aquino added that the Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified 31 provinces as cybercrime hotspots for harboring cybersex and cyberporn hubs, and are being closely monitored.

“Reports showed that most patrons of these multi-billion-dollar cyber activities are from the United States of America and European countries,” said Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Youth.

Recently, 58 Filipinos were arrested in connection with alleged “sextortion” activities where they blackmail unsuspecting victims that they will spread their nude and compromising videos and photos online unless they pay huge amounts of money.

“This only shows that widespread incidence of prostitution and pornography in the Philippines has reached every part of the globe through cyberspace, and cybercrime dens operating in the country have reached international victims,” Aquino said.

The rampant cybersex operation in the country is prevalent despite the existence of Republic Act No. 9775 otherwise known as the “Anti-Child Pornography Law of 2009.”

The law prohibits any person from employing, inducing or coercing a child to engage or be involved in “explicit sexual activities, whether visual, audio, or written combination thereof, and knowingly distributes it in any manner”.

Aside from this, the Philippines is a signatory to the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

In line with this, Aquino has filed a resolution seeking to investigate exploitation and abuse of minors by cybersex syndicates and the rampant spread of online child pornography.

“There is a need to ensure that those who have access to Internet are protected from predators who search out children who are vulnerable and easily manipulated,” Aquino said.

Aquino believes that constant vigilance is key to the possible eradication of these pornographic materials involving children.

 

Photo source: www.buzzpatrol.com

Try Tech-Voc Courses for Better Employment Chances – Sen. Bam to Students

Amid the rising unemployment rate due to job mismatch, Senator Bam Aquino called on high school and college graduates to try technical-vocational courses because of their high demand on the job market.

“We need to adjust to current demands by the labor sector. If we don’t do that, then we’ll end up at the back of the unemployment line,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Aquino made the call after the International Labor Organization (ILO) reported that the Philippines has the highest unemployment rate in Southeast Asia, mainly because of job mismatch.

The ILO said the Philippines has an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent compared to six percent by Indonesia and 3.7 percent by Brunei.

Myanmar has an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, Malaysia has 3.2 percent and Singapore has 3.1 percent. At the bottom of the list are Vietnam (1.9 percent), Laos (1.4 percent) Thailand (0.8 percent) and Cambodia (0.3 percent).

According to the latest labor force survey of the National Statistics Office (NSO), unemployment rate rose to 7.5 percent or 2.969 million jobless Filipinos from 7.1 percent in January 2013 and 6.5 percent last October.

Aquino said the high number of jobless Filipinos is a result of a surge in new entrants to the labor sector and job mismatch dilemma that has been hounding the country in recent years.

The senator mentioned a recent report from the Department of Labor and Employment, showing that 35.8 percent of applicants were rejected because of lack of competencies.

The senator also cited another DOLE report saying that majority of skills required by 3.8 million job vacancies is technical-vocational related, such as services, information technology and communications.

“Schools produce more four-year college graduates but the current labor market demands for more skills-related workers that can only be filled by technical-vocational graduates,” Aquino stressed.

At the same time, the lawmaker also advised students to dismiss the stigma that goes with technical-vocational courses and instead focus on what career path will give them a brighter future.

Aside from addressing job mismatch, Aquino said the government should strengthen its support on micro, small and medium enterprises to boost employment opportunities.

Aquino recently filed the Youth Entrepreneurship Bill to help address the problem of high unemployment among the youth.

The senator said would-be youth entrepreneurs should be given access to financing, training, market linkages, and other means of support that will help them run and develop their own businesses.

 

Photo sources: www.tesda.gov.ph, perpetualdalta.edu.ph and fptiphilippines.com

23rd WEF Plays Vital Role in PH Economy – Sen. Bam

The 23rd World Economic Forum on East Asia, which will be held in the country from May 21-23, plays a vital role to the Philippine economy with the 2015 ASEAN Integration fast approaching.
“With the spotlight on East Asia, we should take every opportunity to showcase and promote the country’s robust economic growth,” said Senator Bam Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.
Earlier, the World Economic Forum (WEF) described the Philippine economy as one of the “greatest economic comeback stories in recent years.”
The WEF also predicted that the country would be the strongest performing Southeast Asian economy this year, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth projected to surpass 6.5 percent.
“The Forum is an ideal stage where we can entice businessmen to pour investments and establish other ventures in the country, aside from promoting our products and services,” added Aquino, whose office is one of the organizers of the Forum.
Aquino believes that the government and private sector should grab every opportunity to promote the country before the launching of the 2015 ASEAN Economic Community 2015.
“When the integration starts, we expect tight competition from other countries for a lion’s share of the ASEAN market composed of 600 million people,” Aquino said, who is part of the prestigious WEF community and will participate in the events the next few days.
In his speech during the 3rd National Symposium Workshop on Empowering People & Organizations in the Workplace for Excellent Results (E-Power), Aquino stressed the important role of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country’s economy at the start of ASEAN integration.
“As much as there are risks here, there are opportunities there,” Aquino said, emphasizing that enhancing the quality of our products and services will increase the businesses’ chances to perform favorably in the free market.
Photo source: WEF Website

Ensure Safety of Bus Passengers Immediately – Sen. Bam to Gov’t Agencies

Alarmed by the spate of accidents involving provincial buses in the past few days, Senator Bam Aquino called on concerned government agencies to intensify inspection and monitoring of provincial buses to ensure safety of travelers.

“These accidents are alarming, considering that many of our fellow Filipinos are trooping to the provinces for the last few weeks of summer vacation,” said Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Aquino said the Land Transportation Office and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTRFB) must conduct regular inspection and monitoring to avoid loss of lives and limbs in the future.

Last Wednesday, three people were killed and 13 others were injured when a Raymond bus en route to Quezon City was rammed by 10-wheeler truck in Tiaong, Quezon. The LTFRB suspended the bus’ franchise to operate for 30 days.

Recently, three people were killed while 14 others were injured when a bus hit a mango tree in Burgos, Ilocos Norte while 21 passengers were injured when a bus fell down a ravine in Aurora.

“Suspension of franchise to operate isn’t enough. Prevention is better than cure and one way of doing it is through regular safety inspection of buses plying the provincial routes,” Aquino stressed.

At the same time, Aquino calls on operators to help the government by ensuring that their buses are in good running condition before allowing them to travel.

“Under the franchise given to them, operators have the responsibility to ensure safe travel for commuters. It is practical for them to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy before they leave,” Aquino emphasized.

Aside from this, Aquino said operators should check the condition of their drivers if they physically and mentally fit to drive.

“Government agencies and private operators have to work side by side to ensure safe travels for many Filipinos who rely on mass transportation,” Aquino said.

 

Photo source: Rappler

Sen. Bam hits BIR’s ‘Anti-Poor’ Circular, Files a Bill to Exempt Small Businessmen from Taxes

Senator Bam Aquino has filed a bill seeking to exempt Marginal Income Earners (MIEs), including farmers, fishermen, tricycle drivers, small sari-sari storeowners and other micro-entrepreneurs, from payment of income tax.

In Senate Bill 2227, Aquino said MIEs, or self-employed individuals who earn not more than P150,000 annually, should be spared from paying income tax, just like minimum wage earners.

“Granting income tax exemption to minimum wage earners while subjecting our small businessmen to income tax is contrary to the mandate of the Constitution, there being no substantial distinction between them in terms of earning capacity,” Aquino said in his measure.

Aquino made the move after the Bureau of Internal Revenue released a memorandum circular — Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 7-2014 — compelling micro entrepreneurs to pay income tax returns.

The circular said MIEs include agricultural growers/producers such as farmers and fishermen selling directly to consumers, small sari-sari stores, small carinderias or “turo-turos,” and drivers/operators of a single unit tricycle.

“Charging taxes does not help them in any way. Rather, it becomes a burden to a sector that is situated below the poverty line,” Aquino said.

“Imposing income tax on our small businessmen is tantamount to confiscating what little income they are able to make on a daily basis,” he added.

The bill classifies MIEs as self-employed individuals – working neither for the private sector nor the government — deriving gross sales/receipts not exceeding P150,000 during any 12-month period, which will be used principally for subsistence or livelihood.

If enacted into law, the bill allows the BIR to adjust the income cap on the gross sales of the small businessmen to match any increase that minimum wage income earners may receive.

Aside from income tax, MIEs shall be exempt from 12 percent value-added tax and any percentage tax imposed under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 because they are not engaged in trade for which these taxes are imposed.

“Such a measure provides an enabling environment for our Filipino people to thrive and be given a chance to succeed.  It further continues our campaign in achieving true inclusive growth for everyone, even for the poor and marginalized,” Aquino said.

 

Photo source: biogprawny

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