Author: teambam

Sen. Bam: PET should take cue from Comelec 25% threshold

Now that the Commission on Elections has spoken on the issue of the 25-percent threshold, Sen. Bam Aquino is confident that the Presidential Electoral Tribunal will do the right thing in the election protest filed against Vice President Leni Robredo by losing candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“With no less than the Comelec saying that the 25-percent threshold should be used in the manual recount, we expect the PET to use it as guide in making the right decision,” said Sen. Bam, campaign manager of Vice President Robredo in the 2016 elections.

“In the end, I am confident that VP Leni will be vindicated from the false accusations made against her and her victory will be proven,” added Sen. Bam.

In its comment to the PET on the motion for reconsideration filed by Vice President Robredo, the Comelec informed the PET that the vote-counting machines used the 25-percent shading threshold in the 2016 elections.

The Comelec said it used the said threshold to ensure votes are not wasted due to inadequate shading or that no accidental or unintended small marks are counted as votes.

Earlier, VP Robredo filed a motion for reconsideration after the PET allowed the use of the 50-percent threshold in the manual recount for vice president.

If used, the 50-percent threshold, that was last utilized in the 2010 elections, could lead to massive disenfranchisement of votes for both camps, Robredo’s legal counsel Romulo Macalintal insisted.

Sen. Bam to govt: Solusyunan ang taas-presyo bago mag-TRAIN 2

Instead of pushing for the passage of its second package, Senator Bam Aquino urged the government the first address the woes inflicted by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law to the Filipino people.

“Hindi pa nakaka-move on ang taumbayan sa TRAIN 1, TRAIN 2 na ang pinag-uusapan. Alam naman po nating madami pa rin ang napeperwisyo ng TRAIN Law,” said Sen. Bam, one of senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program.

On Monday, President Duterte said around four million Filipino families have benefited from the unconditional cash transfer given by the government as part of the TRAIN Law. However, Sen. Bam said there is a long way to go for the government as it has yet to release assistance to six million more poor Filipino families.

“Nabanggit pa sa SONA na maraming natutulungang mahirap ang TRAIN. Ipinagmalaki na apat na milyon ang nabigyan ng tulong sa TRAIN Law, pero kulang pa ng 6 milyon. Hindi ba bagsak ang grado na 40%?” added Sen. Bam.

“Aksyunan na lang natin ang problema. Kailangang isalba ang nalulunod sa taas presyo, lalo na ang mahihirap na Pilipino,” Sen. Bam insisted.

Sen. Bam said Congress should prioritize the suspension and rollback of excise tax under the TRAIN Law, instead of working on the passage of TRAIN 2.

Sen. Bam has filed a measure that seeks to suspend and roll back the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law.

Under Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law will be suspended and rolled back once average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

The senator emphasized that a suspension and rollback are necessary as there is a scheduled increase in excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law come January 2019.

Sen. Bam urges Congress to prioritize measure to suspend TRAIN, roll back excise tax on petroleum

With Malacanang firm on implementing the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, Senator Bam Aquino said poor Filipinos now look up to the Senate to save them from high prices of goods and services. 

“Malinaw ang pakiusap ng taumbayan na nalulunod sa taas presyo. Ang tanong lang ngayon ay kung makikinig ba ang Senado,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.

With the government virtually turning its back on Filipinos, Sen. Bam said Filipinos have no one else to turn to but the Senate, which holds the capacity to ease the suffering of our poor countrymen.

“Nakinig tayo sa SONA na umaasang matutugunan ang tumitinding problema mataas na presyo ng bilihin, subalit tayong lahat ay nabigo,” said Sen. Bam, referring to President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

President Duterte, in his SONA, insisted that the government has no plan of stopping the implementation of the TRAIN Law and pushed for the passage of its second package before the year ends.

“Dahil hindi kasama sa prayoridad ng gobyerno ang kapakanan ng taumbayan, tayo sa Senado ngayon ang inaasahan ng ating mga kababayan. Huwag sana natin silang biguin,” the senator added.

Sen. Bam emphasized that the suspension of TRAIN Law is not about politics, but about the lives of Filipino people, who are drowning in high prices of goods due to the government’s tax reform program.

Sen. Bam renewed his call to fellow lawmakers to support the measure that he filed, seeking to suspend and roll back the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law.

Under Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law will be suspended and rolled back once average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

Sen. Bam: Pahirap ang TRAIN Law, hindi nakatulong sa mahihirap

Senator Bam Aquino disputed President Duterte’s claim in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law is already helping poor families cope up with rising prices.

“Hindi po kaya ng konsensya ko na tanggapin iyong sinabi sa SONA na nakakatulong daw ang TRAIN sa mahihirap dahil kabaligtaran po ang katotohanan,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program.

”Kahit saan po ako pumunta, iisa ang sinasabi ng mga kababayan natin, nalulunod na sila sa taas presyo, hirap na hirap na ang kanilang pamilya,” added Sen. Bam.

While Sen. Bam liked President Duterte’s push for reforms with regards to rice, the senator insisted that the people wanted relief from the high prices of goods and services and the rising inflation.

“Tulad ng marami nating kababayan, umasa tayo kahapon na tutugunan ang lumalalang problema ng taas presyo pero nabigo po tayo,” said Sen. Bam.

“Ngunit hindi pa rito natatapos ang dusang hatid ng TRAIN dahil may panibago na namang increase sa January 2019 at sa January 2020. Hanggang hindi ito itinitigil ng gobyerno, tuluy-tuloy ang taas ng presyo,” he added.

 Around 10 million poor families were supposed to receive unconditional cash transfers to cushion the impact of the TRAIN. However, President Duterte admitted that only four million of those families have received transfers so far, while the other six million families have yet to receive a single cent of assistance from government.

  “Hindi dapat ipinagmamalaki ng gobyerno ang huli at kulang ang implementasyon. Dapat binigay na ang tulong na iyan noon pang January 2018,” said Sen. Bam.

With Malacanang firm on its stand to continue with the TRAIN Law, Sen. Bam is banking on his fellow lawmakers to put a halt to its implementation for the sake of the Filipino people who are already burdened with high prices of goods and services.

”Kailangan nating magtulungan na kumbinsihin ang mga mambabatas na ipreno ang TRAIN para sa ating mga kababayan na nagdurusa sa mahal na halaga ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam has filed a measure that seeks to suspend and roll back the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law.

Under Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law will be suspended and rolled back once average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

Sen. Bam also is pushing for the full implementation of mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, such as the unconditional cash transfer program for poor families and the Pantawid Pasada for jeepney operators and drivers.

Sen. Bam: Ituloy ang 2019 elections para magkaalaman na kung ano’ng nagawa para sa bayan

Senator Bam Aquino hopes that a candidate’s track record and accomplishments will matter most in the 2019 elections.
 
“Kaya tayo tumututol sa No-El, para magka-eleksiyon at magkaalaman na. Ano ba ang talaga ang ginawa para sa bayan? Ano ba ang plano mo para sa tao,” said Sen. Bam in reply to Sec. Bong Go’s statement to President Duterte’s critics.
 
The lawmaker said the 2019 elections should serve as an acid test for a candidate’s performance. 
 
“I’m hoping that the 2019 elections, hindi lang ito popularity contest, o paramihan ng tarpaulin o paramihan ng giveaway. Sana isa itong eleksiyon kung saan kailangan mo talagang suriin ang bawat kandidato,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“Ano ba ang naibigay sa taumbayan, ano ba ang pinaglalaban, saan ba siya tahimik? Let’s have an elections na iyon ang focus, para makapili tayo ng mga pinunong makatutulong sa bayan,” added the senator.
 
Sen. Bam has 24 laws in his five years as senator, including the Go Negosyo Act and the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. 
 
He was the principal sponsor of the law making college education free in public universities and colleges.

Sen. Bam on the SONA: Let it be about how to help the poor, not Cha-Cha or drugs

A senator said President Duterte should make his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) about addressing the plight of poor Filipinos burdened by high prices of goods due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
 
“Sana pag-usapan ang mga solusyon sa pagtaas presyo sa SONA ng Pangulo. Suspindihin na itong excise tax sa petrolyo para mabigyan ng ginhawa ang mga pamilyang nalulunod sa gastos,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program.
 
“Mula sa puso daw ang SONA ngayon. Sana mula sa isang pusong may malasakit sa mahihirap na Pilipinong nasasagasaan ng mga programa ng gobyerno,” added Sen. Bam.
 
Earlier, Sen. Bam said that the 11-point drop in President Duterte’s net approval rating is a cry for help from Filipinos, who are suffering due to the government’s tax reform program.
 
“Ang pagbaba ng rating ng Pangulo ay paghingi ng saklolo ng taumbayan sa matinding pabigat ng TRAIN Law at taas-presyo,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam is hoping that President Duterte will support his measure seeking to suspend and roll back the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law.
 
Under Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law will be suspended and rolled back once average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
 
Sen. Bam also is pushing for the full implementation of mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, such as the unconditional cash transfer program for poor families and the Pantawid Pasada for jeepney operators and drivers.

Sen. Bam on the Bangsamoro Basic Law

Binabati at pinasasalamatan natin ang lahat ng nagtaguyod sa peace process,  sa mga principal sponsors, co-sponsors at sa aking mga co-authors sa Kongreso, at lahat ng nagtrabaho para buuin ang Bangsamoro Organic Law.
 
Ang pagpasa ng BBL ay malaking hakbang tungong kapayapaan at  pagpuksa sa tunay nating kalaban, ang kahirapan.
 
Ngayon, kailangan nating magkaisa upang siguraduhin na mapakikinabangan ng mga pamilya sa Bangsamoro region ang batas na ito.
 
Bantayan natin na maabot ng makasaysayang repormang ito ang mga matatayog na hangarin na kapayapaan at kaunlaran para sa mga kapatid nating Bangsamoro.

Sen. Bam: Patay ang Cha-Cha kung walang suporta ng Senado

Sen. Bam Aquino insisted that any attempt by the House of Representatives to revise the 1987 Constitution without the Senate’s participation is unconstitutional. 

 “Anumang hakbang na gawin ng Kamara para baguhin ang Saligang Batas na hindi kasama ang Senado ay unconstitutional,” Sen. Bam asserted during the hearing of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments on the draft federal charter submitted by the consultative committee. 

Sen. Bam’s view was supported by several members of the consultative committee, including its chairman, retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, retired Associate Justice Eduardo Nachura and former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel. 

 “I expressed my personal opinion that the voting should be done separately by both Houses of Congress and I gave my reasons for that opinion,” said Puno, adding that he based his opinion on historical reasons and coherent reading of the different provisions of the 1987 Constitution.  

“It cannot be done na sila lang,” said Pimentel, referring to the House of Representatives.  

Nachura, for his part, said that he wrote a book about Constitutional law, where he stated that voting should be done separately. Other members of the consultative committee — professors Julio Teehankee and Edmund Tayao – also supported the views of their senior colleagues. 

Sen. Bam Aquino also stood firm on his stand against the postponement of the 2019 elections.  

“Ang eleksyon ay haligi ng demokrasya. Kapag binuwag mo pa ang haliging iyon, baka gumuho ang demokrasya natin,” said Sen. Bam.

“A number of us have already said that we are not in favor of postponing the elections,” Sen. Bam added, referring to his colleagues in the Senate.

Sen. Bam: Unahin ang Pilipinong nalulunod sa taas presyo, suspindihin na ang TRAIN Law

Senator Bam Aquino asked the government to focus on the welfare of the Filipino people rather than think about revenue from the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. 

“Hindi kayang tumbasan ng kita ng gobyerno sa TRAIN ang hirap ng taumbayan na nalulunod sa taas presyo,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program. 

“Ang malala pa rito, huli na at kulang pa ang tulong ng gobyerno para sa mga mahihirap na sinasagasaan ng TRAIN Law,” added Sen. Bam, referring to the mitigating measures under the tax reform law like the Unconditional Cash Transfer Program and the Pantawid Pasada Program.

Sen. Bam made the pronouncement in reaction to the government’s claim that it stands to lose P102 billion in 2019 if Sen. Bam’s measure that aims to suspend excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law is enacted into law. 

Under Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law will be suspended and rolled back when average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period. 

Sen. Bam also stated that the government has enough funds for its priority programs and projects as it has P390 billion in untouched budget in 2017. 

“Sapat ang pondo ng gobyerno, aabot pa nga sa P390 bilyon ang hindi nila nagamit noong nakaraang taon. Huwag naman natin pahirapan pa ang mga pamilyang sumasaklolo sa taas-presyo,” the senator urged. 

“Suportahan sana ng administrasyon ang pag-roll-back sa excise tax sa petrolyo at siguraduhing sususpindihin ang dagdag na buwis sa petrolyo sa 2019 dahil sa TRAIN,” Sen. Bam added.

Sen. Bam to gov’t: Madaliin na ang tulong para sa mga jeepney driver

Senator Bam Aquino urged the government to immediately release the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Pantawid Pasada Program and ensure that the assistance will go directly to jeepney drivers. 

“Ang pagpapatupad ng Pantawid Pasada Program ang dapat madaliin ng gobyerno. Kailangan na ng mga drayber ng jeepn ang tulong kontra taas-presyo.,” said Sen. Bam, adding that the IRR should be released as soon as possible. 

“Sa IRR, dapat unahin ang kapakanan ng jeepney drivers na nalulunod na sa taas ng presyo ng krudo,” added Sen. Bam. 

The Pantawid Pasada Program gives jeepney operators and drivers a total of P5,000 for the last six months of 2018. This will mean an additional P833 per month or P27.7 per day. 

Earlier, Sen. Bam urged the government to review the program to ensure the amount given to jeepney drivers is enough to cover the increase in fuel prices and other needs due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. 

“Hindi pa sapat ang tulong ng Pantawid Pasada Program dahil wala pang isang litro ng diesel ang bigay nito sa ating mga jeepney driver. Kulang na nga, hindi pa nila ma-roll-out agad-agad,” said Sen. Bam. 

The senator also reiterated his call to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to expand the Pantawid Pasada Program to other modes of public transportations such as tricycles and UV express vehicles. 

“Kung tutulong na rin lang tayo, bakit hindi pa natin lubus-lubusin at isama ang mga nagmamaneho ng tricycle at UV Express,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law. 

Sen. Bam has been pushing for the suspension and rollback of the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law to help lower the prices of fuel and goods at the same time. 

Sen. Bam has filed a measure seeking to stop and rollback the excise tax on fuel when average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period. 

“Suportahan sana ng administrasyong and pag-roll-back sa excise tax sa petrolyo at siguraduhing sususpindihin ang dagdag na buwis sa petrolyo sa 2019 dahil sa TRAIN,” stressed Sen. Bam. 

“Nalulunod na sa taas presyo ang mga drayber. Nababawasan na nga ang kita, tumataas pa ang presyo ng bilihin,” he added.

Scroll to top