Author: teambam

Sen. Bam: Mission accomplished for revolutionary free tuition law

Sen. Bam Aquino extended his gratitude to President Duterte for signing the Universal Access to Tertiary Education Act into law, saying that millions of Filipinos are the real winners with this revolutionary education reform.

 “I wish to thank the President for signing the free college tuition into law. Congratulation to my fellow lawmakers and everyone who supported this policy,” said Sen. Bam, the principal sponsor and co-author of the law in the Senate. This was Sen. Bam’s 19th law in his four years as senator.

“Pagkatapos ng ilang dekada, batas na ang inaasam-asam ng napakaraming pamilyang Pilipino na libreng kolehiyo,” Sen. Bam added, “Estudyante, magulang at pamilyang Pilipino ang tunay na bida ng batas na ito.”

 Sen. Bam, who championed the bill during plenary debates and interpellation as former chairman of the Committee on Education, also assured that the Senate will find ways to find the needed Php25 billion to fully implement this law.

 The senator said Sen. Loren Legarda, chairperson ng Committee on Finance, already committed to including free tuition in the 2018 budget.

 With this law, students will enjoy free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) starting the second semester of school year 2017-18.

Aside from tuition fees, the government will shoulder miscellaneous and all other mandatory fees. 

 Scholarship grants will also be made available to students of both public and private college and universities. Plus, it provides a new and improved student loan program, where students can apply for financing for other education expenses. 

The measure was languishing in the legislative mill for years before it was passed during Sen. Bam’s time as chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress.

 “I am thrilled that Filipinos will benefit from a free college education,” Sen. Bam added, “It was an honor to work on this revolutionary education reform and fight for its passage”.

Republic Act 10931: Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act

In the Philippines, 2 out of 5 high school graduates do not pursue tertiary education, hindered by the high tuition fees in addition to miscellaneous expenses incurred while studying. After spending many years working hard to make ends meet in order to put their children through school to obtain a high school diploma, it is often a disappointment to students who face the choice between working to help their family or sacrificing the education of other siblings so that one may be sent to college.

In line with the mandate of our Constitution, the State must uphold the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels. This bill seeks to make tertiary education in all State Universities and Colleges free of tuition for its students and fully subsidized by government.

Tertiary education is a valuable key that can help Filipino families break out of the poverty cycle, as families headed by tertiary degree holders earn, on average, two times as much as families who do not have postsecondary education.

However, higher education is often only available to middle-income families who can afford the high tuition fees and extra costs. As a result, these families continue to reap the benefits of obtaining a postsecondary education while poor families continue struggling to reach beyond their current economic situation.

In a nation with glaring income and educational inequality, the provision of tuition-free college education will be one great leap toward developing our fragile democracy. By unlocking this opportunity, poor and low-income families stand to benefit the most and will be empowered both economically and socially to be able to fully participate in our democratic nation.

A college education is not only a qualification that results in higher paying jobs, but is most importantly a means for the development of knowledge, innovation and social change in a nation. Supporting the growth of higher education in the Philippines will serve to heighten the quality of workforce so that we may partake more meaningfully in the global production of knowledge.

 

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Sen. Bam: Change must come in transport sector

Sen. Bam Aquino urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to prioritize the safety and commuting experience of the riding public and look out for the welfare of drivers of public utility vehicles.​

“What we want to achieve is fairness – fairness for Grab and Uber, for taxi operators, for  drivers, and most especially for the riding public,” Sen. Bam said during the hearing of the Committee on Public Services on transport network vehicle services (TNVS) such as Grab and Uber.

According to Sen. Bam there is a need to develop a brand-new regulatory framework which govern transportation network companies (TNC), TNVS and even taxis.

 “May mga grupo na magkaiba yung teknolohiya, magkaiba yung pinanggalingan, pero pareho yung mga serbisyo. So yung isa kong sinisikap mahanap is yung distinction,” said Sen. Bam, who filed Senate Bill No. 696 or the Rideshare Support Company Act.

 “Ang puwedeng maging distinction natin is owner-driven ride sharing versus fleet operators,” Sen. Bam added.

 “Maybe we can have fewer regulations for owner-driven vehicles dahil hindi sila nakakadagdag sa congestion ng kotse at makakabawas pa sa trapiko. Then we can decide on appropriate regulations for fleet operators of Grab, Uber and even taxis,” said Sen. Bam.​

Sen. Bam also encouraged LTFRB to work with taxi operators to help them improve their services, whether it’s by using a phone-based application for pricing versus taxi meters or by rethinking existing regulations.​

 “Instead of weighing down on TNCs and TNVs, maybe we need to work on improving the taxi services in the country,” suggested Sen. Bam.

 

Sen. Bam: Senate will ensure free tuition in SUCs is funded

Sen. Bam Aquino assured that the Senate will find ways to fund the P25 billion needed to implement the free tuition in state universities and colleges (SUCs) even if the measure is vetoed by President Duterte.

“Nag-commit na si Sen. Loren Legarda, ang chairperson ng Committee on Finance, na hahanapan ito ng pondo para sa 2018 budget para sa batas na ito. Hindi natin poproblemahin ito para sa 2018 budget dahil hahanapan natin ang pondo,” the senator explained.

 Sen. Bam Aquino also clarified that the free college education will need a budget of P25 billion and not P100 billion as claimed by a Malacanang official.

 “Iyong numero na binibigay ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM), masyado pong malaki iyon,” Sen. Bam said in a radio interview. “Sa amin sa Senado, ang computation namin na kailangan sa batas na ito ay P25 billion.”

Amid speculations that President Duterte will veto the measure, Sen. Bam remains optimistic that the Chief Executive will sign it into law. “Naniniwala ako na pipirmahan ni Pangulong Duterte ang panukalang ito. Kung priority mo ang edukasyon, popondohan mo ito,” said Sen. Bam.

 The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act will automatically lapse into law on August 5 if not vetoed by the Chief Executive.

As principal sponsor and co-author, Sen. Bam defended the bill in plenary debates and interpellation during his stint as chairman of the Committee on Education.

He also stood as co-chairman of the Senate delegation to the bicameral conference committee, together with new Committee on Education chairman Sen. Francis Escudero and members Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian and Ralph Recto. 

 If passed into law, students will start to enjoy free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) starting the second semester of school year 2017-18. Aside from tuition fees, the government will also shoulder miscellaneous and other fees. 

Under the law, scholarship grants will also be made available to students of both public and private college and universities. It also provides a loan program, where students can apply for financing for other education expenses.

BIDA KA!: Agham, teknolohiya at edukasyon para sa pag-unlad ng pamilyang Pilipino

Mga Bida, sobrang tuwa ko nang ako’y italaga bilang chairman ng Committee on Science and Technology at Committee on Education sa Senado ­ngayong 17th Congress.

Nakita ko ang napakara­ming posibilidad sa larangan ng agham, teknolohiya at edukasyon upang mapaunlad ang ating ­bayan at mapabuti ang ­buhay ng pamilyang Pilipino.

Bagaman tinanggal na tayo sa komite ng edukasyon, natutuwa tayo na naipasa natin sa ­Senado at pirma na lang ng Presidente ang hinihintay para maisabatas ang Universal Access to Quality­ Tertiary Act na magbibigay ng libreng edukasyon sa mga mag-aaral ng State Universities and Colleges, Local Universities and Colleges at mga Tech-Voc Institutions ng TESDA.

Dahil isang kumite na lang ang naiwan sa atin, todo ang pagtutok at trabaho natin para sa larangan ng agham at teknolohiya sa bansa. Nitong mga nagdaang araw, puno ng aktibidad ang Committee on Science and Technology.

***

Noong Martes, nagsagawa tayo ng pagdinig ukol sa epekto ng tinatawag na Artificial Intelligence (AI) sa mga trabaho sa bansa, lalo na sa business process outsourcing o tinatawag na call centers.

Nagbigay din tayo ng sponsorship speech para sa ating ­panukala na nagbibigay ng karampatang suporta sa tinatawag na innovative start-up businesses o mga papasimulang negosyong na may kinalaman sa makabagong teknolohiya na naka­tutulong para mapagaaan ang buhay ng mga Pilipino.

Kinabukasan, nagbigay din tayo ng sponsorship speech ­para sa Balik-Scientist Act at Magna Carta for Science and Technology Workers.

***

Nagsagawa tayo ng hearing ukol sa AI matapos tayong makatanggap ng balita na lubhang maaapektuhan nito ang mga trabaho sa bansa, lalo na ang call center industry kung saan ­humigit-kumulang 1.2 milyong Pilipino ang nagtatrabaho.

Dahil sa AI, ang ibang trabaho sa call center industry ay maaari nang palitan ng computer na may kaalaman at kakayahan din tulad ng karaniwang tao.

Ayon sa isang resource person, tinatayang maaapektuhan ang 60 porsiyento ng mga trabaho sa nasabing industriya kapag itinodo na ng ilang kumpanya ang pagpapatupad ng AI sa kanilang sistema.

Batay naman sa numero ng Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (ITBPAP), nasa 40,000 ang bilang ng maaapektuhang trabaho dahil sa AI.

Napag-alaman din sa hearing na hindi lang negatibong epek-to ang hatid ng AI kundi may positibong bagay din itong ­hatid, lalo pagdating sa paglikha ng bagong trabaho para sa mas maraming Pilipino.

Ayon sa mga resource persons, nasa 250,000 hanggang 300,000 bagong trabaho ang malilikha dahil sa AI, basta’t maiangat lang ang kakayahan ng mga manggagawang Pilipino­ upang maging akma para sa tinatawag na mid-level at high-­level jobs, tulad ng data analyst at data programming.

***

Mahalaga ang papel na gagampanan ng mga paaralan at ­educational institutions sa bansa upang matiyak na aangat ang kakayahan ng mga manggagawa sa nasabing sektor.

Dapat nilang tingnan at tiyakin na ang kanilang mga itinuturo ay siyang kailangan ng mga manggagawang naghahanapbuhay sa nasabing sektor.

Sa pamamagitan nito, maaaring mawalan ng trabaho ang ibang bansa dahil sa AI ay mapupunta pa sa Pilipinas kung madadagdagan ang bilang ng ating mid-level at high-level workers.

Mangyayari lang ito kung magkakaroon ng sapat at akmang kaalaman at kakayanin ang ating mga manggagawa.

***

Kaya ngayon pa lang, hinikayat na natin ang mga kaukulang ahensiya ng pamahalaan at pribadong sektor na magtulungan para mapaghandaan na ang problemang ito nang mas maaga.

Importante ang papel ng Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) at Commission on Higher Education (CHED) upang mailatag ang mga kailangang hakbang upang matiyak na hindi tayo tatamaan ng negatibong epekto ng AI sa mga susunod na taon.

***

Malaki ang oportu­nidad na idinudulot ng teknolohiya sa mga Pilipino, hindi lang sa paggawa ng bagong trabaho ngunit pati sa pagbibigay ng solusyon sa mga problema ng bayan sa larangan ng agrikultura, kalusugan, serbisyong kalusugan at kahirapan.

Ngunit upang masunggaban ang mga oportunidad na ito at upang umasenso ang bawat pamil­yang Pilipino, importante ang training at de-kalidad na edukasyon.

Sen. Bam lauds signing of free internet in public places, his 18th law

Sen. Bam Aquino is delighted with the President’s approval of the Free Internet Access Program in Public Places into law.  

The President on Wednesday signed the measure into law, now known as Republic Act 10929. The law is Sen. Bam’s 18th in his four years as senator and his first in the 17th Congress.  

 “Masaya tayo na isa sa ating naipasang panukala sa Senado ay batas na. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa Pangulo sa kanyang paglagda bilang batas ang maging libre na ang internet sa mga pampublikong lugar,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor and co-author of the measure in the Senate in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.   

 “This will expand internet access across public spaces in the Philippines, including public schools to aid in teaching methods and enhance learning,” the senator added.  

“There is also a provision for faster permitting for internet infrastructure, which is a key feature in the law to improve infrastructure development,” added Sen. Bam.  

The law provides free internet access in all national and local government offices, public schools, public transport terminals, public hospitals and public libraries.   

 Under the measure, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will be mandated to craft a plan and a timeline for the rollout of this program.  

 Sen. Bam is also hopeful that the President will sign the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, another measure he sponsored and co-authored in the Senate.

Sen. Bam: We will deliver free tuition at all costs

Sen. Bam Aquino said he, along with the other legislators, will continue to fight for the enactment of the measure providing free tuition at all costs.

“If the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act is vetoed, there are alternative actions that the legislature can undertake to ensure that our students still receive the support they need. Congress with a two-thirds vote can reconsider the veto and still pass it into law. Or we can fund this initiative on a year-to-year basis through the GAA,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor and co-author of the measure in the Senate.

 “Lastly, we can refile the measure, but this will take time,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam reiterated that Sen. Loren Legarda, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, has committed to fund free college education, which would need around a minimum of P25 billion. A much smaller amount than theP100 billion as earlier claimed by the economic managers.

 However, Sen. Bam remained hopeful that President Duterte will still sign the bill into law. He added, ‘I hope the President and his economic managers can see this as a sound investment in our future.’

 In the Senate, Sen. Bam maintained that education and free tuition remains a priority. “Hahanapan natin ng paraan upang ibigay natin into para sa pamilyang Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam defended the bill in plenary debates and interpellation during his stint as chairman of the Committee on Education.

 He also stood as co-chairman of the Senate delegation to the bicameral conference committee, together with new Committee on Education chairman Sen. Francis Escudero and members Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian and Ralph Recto.  

If passed into law, students will start to enjoy free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) starting the second semester of school year 2017-18. Aside from tuition fees, the government will also shoulder miscellaneous and other fees.  

 Under the law, scholarship grants will also be made available to students of both public and private college and universities. It also provides a loan program, where students can apply for financing for other education expenses.

Sen. Bam still hopeful President Duterte signs free college bill into law

Sen. Bam Aquino is still hopeful that President Duterte will prioritize education by signing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act into law this week, giving Filipinos free education in state universities and colleges (SUC), local universities and colleges and technical and vocational institutions (TVIs).

 “The administration must prioritize education. Let’s not lose hope that we will invest in the future of our youth and their families,” said Sen. Bam, who pushed for the measure’s passage in the Senate as principal sponsor and co-author.

 “This is a policy that everyone in the Senate supported, regardless of political party. Inaasahan rin ito ng 1.6M estudyante sa SUCs, pati  ng kanilang pamilya. So I am still hoping this will become law,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam was expecting President Duterte to announce the signing of the measure into law as highlight of his State of the Nation Address (SONA) but no mention came during the Chief Executive’s two-hour speech.

 There is also talk removing free tuition in SUCs from next year’s national budget.

“Kung prayoridad ito ng gobyerno, popondohan ito sa national budget. Ang importante ay pirmahan na at gawing batas ang libreng kolehiyo,” affirmed Sen. Bam.

 As former chairman of the Committee on Education, Sen. Bam defended the bill in plenary debates and interpellation. He also stood as co-chairman of the Senate delegation to the bicameral conference committee, together with new Committee on Education chairman Sen. Francis Escudero and members Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian and Ralph Recto.

 If passed into law, students will start to enjoy free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) starting the second semester of school year 2017-18. Aside from tuition fees, the government will also shoulder miscellaneous and other fees.

 Under the law, scholarship grants will also be made available to students of both public and private college and universities. It also provides a loan program, where students can apply for financing for other education expenses.

Sponsorship Speech for the Innovative Start-Up Act

SENATE BILL NO. 1532 UNDER COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 142

AN ACT PROVIDING BENEFITS AND PROGRAMS TO STRENGTHEN, PROMOTE, AND DEVELOP THE 

PHILIPPINE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM

 

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV

17th Congress, Senate of the Philippines

Sponsorship Speech, August 1, 2017

 

 

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, good afternoon, magandang hapon po sa ating lahat.

It is my honor and privilege to stand before you today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1532 under Committee Report No. 142 entitled An Act Providing Benefits and Programs to Strengthen, Promote, and Develop the Philippine Startup Ecosystem.

 It is difficult to launch a startup, Mr. President. And it is especially difficult in the Philippines.

I experienced this firsthand when I co-founded two social enterprises- the Hapinoy Program and Rags2Riches (R2R) a couple of years agp, almost a decade ago, Mr. President.

 We experienced rejection, running out of capital and changes in our business model. We went through many of the hardships every entrepreneur experiences, which is why I have a very special place in my heart for Filipino startups.

 So when I became a legislator, Mr. President, I was determined to push for policies that empower our Filipino SMEs. .

 The first law I passed was the Go Negosyo Act and I am happy to report that there are now over 500 Negosyo Centers around the Philippines. We’ve also passed the Youth Entrepreneurship Act and other laws that support the development of our micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs.

But, Mr. President, there is still much more we can do to encourage our start-ups, particularly our innovative and technology startups.

They are businesses that provide unique and relevant solutions to our problems, from daily hassles, like finding a taxi during rush hour, to improving the delivery of healthcare, providing support for our farmers, and addressing unemployment.

 And today, Mr. President, I would like to share some of these solutions.

The first is HealthBlocks. HealthBlocks focuses on the issue of complicated and extensive personal healthcare information.

In countries like Australia and England, health records are centralized for better access to accurate health information about patients.

 HealthBlocks took this idea and created an application that can facilitate the centralization of health information in the Philippines, around Asia, and anywhere in the world.

Imagine all your health records accessible at the touch of a button and easily and  securely given to your doctors, healthcare providers, and even insurance companies.

HealthBlocks will not only improve convenience but will allow for better diagnosis and treatment of patients, Mr. President.

 Another startup, Mr. President,  is called Cropital. Cropital is attempting to solve the problem of many of our farmers, and this is the lack of access to loans with reasonable terms.

This start-up allows anyone to sign up online and choose a local farming community to invest money in.

They then manage the funds of each farm and ensure that your money goes to the right resources.

 After harvest season and the farmer’s produce is sold, the investor gets his returns based on the agreed upon terms with the community.

 Through technology and the concept of crowdsourcing, Cropital  is able to match our farmers with those with the means to invest, empowering farmers in their agribusiness. Another innovative solution, Mr. President!

My third example, Mr. President, is Virtualahan. Virtualahan is attempting to solve the problem of unemployment.

 Virtualahan actually stands for “virtual eskwelahan”, which provides digital skills training for persons with disabilities or PWDs, unemployed youth, and full time parents so they can be hired as virtual assistants for NGOs and social enterprises around the world.

 To solve the problem of unemployment, Virtualahan is using to the power of technology and the internet – which is why we must also work to improve the internet services in the country, Mr. President!

 But back to our innovative businesses, Mr. President, HealthBlocks, Cropital, Virtualahan are just 3 of over 200,000 start-ups in the Philippines with the potential to solve our country’s problems and contribute to the lives of Filipinos through the products they create and the jobs they generate.

This  Innovative Startup Act aims to give these startups a better chance of succeeding by reducing barriers to their success.

This policy seeks to support innovative startups, first, through financial subsidies like tax breaks and grants; second, through ease of doing business through their registration; and third, through technical assistance and training programs.

 Plus, there is a provision for an Innovative Startup Venture Fund of 10 billion pesos that startups can apply for.

 Through this measure, innovative startups will also be entitled to free use of equipment, facilities, and other services from government agencies, such as testing and fabrication facilities, and services for the patenting or licensing of their product with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.

Mr. President, let’s take this opportunity to empower our innovators and entrepreneurs with a heart for nation-building.

 Ipasa po natin ang Innovative Startup Act at himukin ang ating mga makabagong negosyante na lumikha ng mga solusyon para sa bayan! Maraming salamat po, Mr. President, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support Senate Bill 1532, under Committee Report No. 142, the Innovative Startup Act. Maraming Salamat, Mr. President. 

Sen. Bam sponsors start-up bill in Senate

Senator Bam Aquino sponsored a measure that will give over 200,000 innovative start-up businesses in the country a better chance of succeeding through tax breaks and other forms of assistance, including a P1 billion venture fund where they can apply.

 In his sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 1532, Sen. Bam lauded innovative start-up businesses for finding solutions to the country’s problems.

 “These are startups that provide unique and relevant solutions to our problems, from daily hassles, like finding a taxi during rush hour, to improving the delivery of healthcare, providing support for our farmers, and addressing unemployment,” said Sen. Bam, the principal sponsor and author of the measure as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

As sponsor of the measure, he said the Innovative Startup Act will reduce barriers that hamper the start-ups’ march to success.

“Let’s take this opportunity to empower our innovators and entrepreneurs with a heart for nation-building. Ipasa po natin ang Innovative Startup Act at himukin ang ating mga makabagong negosyante na lumikha ng mga solusyon para sa bayan,” said Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam said the measure will provide support innovative startups through financial subsidies like tax breaks and grants and ease of red tape in business registration. Start-ups will also get technical assistance and training programs that can help them flourish

 If enacted into law, innovative startups will also benefit from free use of equipment, facilities, and other services from government agencies, such as testing and fabrication facilities. They will also get assistance from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines for the patenting or licensing of their product.

As a former social entrepreneur before he joined the Senate, Sen. Bam has been working for the welfare of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups by giving them an environment conducive for growth.

Sen. Bam worked for the passage of Republic Act 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act to provide access to markets and financing for businesses, training programs, and a simplified business registration process, helping ease of doing business and hastening government processes in putting up a business.

 

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