Author: teambam

Sen. Bam to Aguirre: Apologize, take responsibility for reckless accusations

“The Justice Secretary should simply apologize and take responsibility for his reckless accusations.”

Sen. Bam Aquino is baffled by the delay in the issuance of Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre’s public apology, saying there’s no reason to wait until Monday to correct his mistakes.

“The clarification that his office issued is merely stating the obvious,” the senator said, referring to the statement released by Aguirre’s office early Friday.

Earlier, Sec. Aguirre alleged that Sen. Bam met with several fellow lawmakers and prominent families in Marawi City on May 2, three weeks before the firefight in the city erupted.

On that date, Sen. Bam was the commencement speaker of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) at the PICC in Pasay City. In the afternoon, he attended the Senate session.

Sen. Bam said Aguirre should own up to his mistakes and publicly apologize for his irresponsibility, as what he committed during an earlier conversation with the senator.

“The least he can do is make a public apology at hinahanap natin ang pangako na mas magiging maingat na siya sa kanyang mga binibitawang salita,” the senator stressed.

Sen. Bam said two of Aguirre’s fellow Cabinet members reached out to the Justice Secretary to “clarify my Marawi trip as early as Wednesday.”

According to the senator, Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana reached out to Aguirre, informing the Justice Secretary that Sen. Bam was with officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during his visit to Marawi City last May 19 to attend the inauguration of a Negosyo Center.

Among those who joined Sen. Bam in the inauguration were B/Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, Gen. Nixon Fortes and Vice Gov. Bombit Adiong.

Lorenzana also debunked rumors linking Sen. Bam to the Marawi incident as “too absurd to be believed”.

“Trade Sec. Mon Lopez has already publicly clarified and confirmed that I was in Marawi City for the Negosyo Center launch. These are easily verifiable for anyone who cares to find the truth,” said Sen. Bam.

Defense Sec. Lorenzana: Rumors linking Sen. Bam to Marawi incident ‘too absurd to be believed’

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana described rumors linking Sen. Bam Aquino to the Marawi incident as “too absurd to be believed”.

 In his exchange of text messages with the senator, Lorenzana assured Sen. Bam that he “never gave credence to rumors about the lawmaker’s presence in Marawi” days before the skirmish between the government troops and members of the Maute group, as they were “too absurd to be believed”.

 Lorenzana also thanked the senator for his support for the Defense Department and their efforts to maintain peace and order in the country.

 In a radio interview, Sen. Bam said Lorenzana also absolved him and other members of the opposition regarding the Marawi incident during a closed-door briefing on Martial Law.

“During the briefing, tinanong ko si Sec. Lorenzana tungkol sa mga fake news na kumakalat pero natawa lang siya at nagsabing walang katotohanan ang mga ito,” said Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam sought Lorenzana’s clarification following Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre’s accusation that he and other lawmakers met with prominent families in Marawi City on May 2, three weeks before the incident.

On that date, Sen. Bam was the commencement speaker of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) at the PICC in Pasay City. In the afternoon, he attended the Senate session.

 It was on May 19 that Sen. Bam attended the inauguration of the first Negosyo Center in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in Marawi City together with Vice Gov. Bombit Adiong, B/Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista and Gen. Nixon Fortes.

“Trade Sec. Mon Lopez has already publicly clarified and confirmed that I was in Marawi City for the Negosyo Center launch. These are easily verifiable for anyone who cares to find the truth,” said Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam maintained that it would be prudent for Aguirre, as Justice Secretary, to clarify dates, seek evidence and request for official statements from legitimate government agencies before he makes yet another false accusation.

 “This tragedy could have been an opportunity to unite the Philippines against a common enemy. Instead, it’s being used to further political interests and further divide our country,” he said.

Sen. Bam on Sec. Aguirre’s allegations on Marawi meeting

Is fake news enough for the head of our country’s Department of Justice to make these outrageous allegations?

To be clear, there was never any meeting among the individuals mentioned by Sec. Aguirre.

 On May 2, 2017, I was the PUP commencement speaker at the PICC and attended the session at the Philippine Senate.

My trip to Marawi was on May 19, 2017 to launch the first Negosyo Center in the ARMM and I had with me an AFP escort throughout my trip, which can easily be verified through the AFP.

Vice Gov. Bombit Adiong, B/Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista and Gen. Nixon Fortes were also with me during the event.

 DTI Sec. Mon Lopez has already publicly clarified and confirmed that I was in Marawi City for the NegosyoCenter launch.

These are easily verifiable for anyone who cares to find the truth.

 It would be prudent for Sec. Aguirre to clarify dates, seek evidence and request for official statements from legitimate government agencies before he makes yet another false accusation.

 This tragedy could have been an opportunity to unite the Philippines against a common enemy.

 Instead, it’s being used to further political interests and further divide our country.

Sen. Bam: Ensure livelihood program for OFWs affected by Qatar crisis

A senator urged the government to create livelihood opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the deployment ban to Qatar amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis hounding the Middle East country.
 
“Ngayon pa lang, dapat nang paghandaan ang mga posibleng epekto ng krisis sa Qatar sa ating OFWs, lalo na sa kanilang kabuhayan,” said Sen. Bam Aquino.
 
“Dapat mabigyan ng pansamantalang pagkakakitaan ang mga naapektuhan ng deployment ban at iba pa nating mga kababayan na posibleng bumalik sa Pilipinas dahil sa nangyari,” he added.
 
Several neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, have severed their diplomatic ties with Qatar over allegations that it supports extremist groups, including ISIS. 
 
The senator also called on the government to prepare for any eventuality that might affect OFWs and other Filipinos residing in Qatar.
 
“Posibleng magkaroon ito ng epekto sa overseas Filipino workers at iba pang mga Pinoy sa Doha at iba pang bahagi ng Qatar kaya marapat na itong paghandaan ng pamahalaan,” Sen. Bam said.
 
“Dapat ding alamin ng embahada sa Qatar ang sitwasyon ng mga Pilipino roon upang matiyak ang kanilang kapakanan at mga pangunahing pangangailangan,” he added.
 
Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill No.  648 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Assistance Act to boost support for the OFW community and the families they leave back home.
 
If passed into law, the measure integrates programs on livelihood, entrepreneurship, savings, investments and financial literacy to the existing efforts of embassies to equip OFWs with knowledge to start their own business.
 
In a survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) last September 2015, only 38.2 pecrcent of the 563 household‐respondents said that a portion of the money from OFWs are set aside for savings.
 
Aside from the livelihood aspect, Senate Bill No. 648 mandates the Public Attorney’s Office to establish a help desk in every international port of exit in the Philippines to offer legal service, assistance and advice to departing migrant workers.

Sen. Bam: Lawmakers committed to fund free tertiary education completely

Sen. Bam Aquino is confident that Congress will allot the necessary budget for the free education in state colleges and universities and local colleges and universities once the measure is enacted into law. 

“The Majority and Minority are committed to fund this revolutionary initiative,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor and co-author of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act in the Senate.

“Upon its ratification last week, Sen. Loren Legarda, Chairman of the Committee on Finance, committed to fund this as well,” said Sen. Bam, who estimated the annual budget for free tertiary education to be between P50 to P53 billion.

 The senator is also confident that Malacanang will support the measure, being a major reform for education and poverty alleviation in the country.

 The Senate and the House have both ratified the bicameral conference committee report. It will now be transmitted to Malacanang for President Duterte’s approval.

If passed into law, education in SUCs, LUCs and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be virtually free, with the government shouldering tuition, miscellaneous and other fees.

 Another salient feature of the measure is the loan program, where students can apply for financing for other education expenses.

Sen. Bam said the loans will be tied up to Social Security System (SSS) and Government Service Insurance Systems (GSIS) payments to ensure that funds for student loans will not be depleted.

“Ito’y isang paraan upang masiguro na makokolekta ang bayad sa ibinigay na loan ng gobyerno sa ating mga estudyante,” Sen. Bam said.

If passed by June or July, Sen. Bam said students will benefit from the law starting the second semester of school year 2017-18.

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

 Sen. Bam was also the co-chairman of the Senate delegation to the bicameral conference committee, together with new Committee on Education chairman Sen. Francis Escudero. Other members of the Senate panel were Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian and Ralph Recto.

Sen. Bam: No political patronage in free education in SUCs, LUCs

A senator hopes free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs) will discourage political patronage.
 
“Unang-una, lahat ng estudyante po bibigyan ng tulong. Kaya iyong palakasan sa mga pulitiko dahil iilan lang ang mabibigyan ng tulong, hindi na valid iyan,” Sen. Bam Aquino said during a press conference discussing the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
 
“Sa ganitong paraan, hindi na kailangang kumuha pa ng endorsement letters para magkaroon ng subsidy. Hopefully, that will help decrease patronage in the provision of scholarships,” added Sen. Bam.
 
The Senate and the House both ratified the bicameral conference committee report. It will now be transmitted to Malacanang for President Duterte’s approval.
 
According to Sen. Bam, the final version makes education in SUCs, LUCs and vocational schools under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) virtually free, with the government shouldering tuition, miscellaneous and other fees.
 
“Kapag ito’y naisabatas na, magiging state policy na libre na ang tertiary level education pagdating sa SUCs, LUCs at pati na sa vocational schools ng TESDA,” said Sen. Bam, who defended the measure in plenary debates and interpellation during his stint as chairman of the Committee on Education.
 
Sen. Bam was also the co-chairman of the Senate delegation to the bicameral conference committee, together with new Committee on Education chairman Sen. Francis Escudero. Other members of the Senate panel are Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian and Ralph Recto.
 
If enacted into law, it will institutionalize free tuition and other fees in SUCs and LUCs all over the country, giving underprivileged students a chance to earn a college degree.
 
It will also make scholarship grants available to students of both public and private college and universities.

BIDA KA!: Libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo

Mga bida, bago ako naging senador at social entrepreneur, ako’y tumayo bilang student leader noong ako’y nag-aaral pa. Bilang student leader, ipinaglaban namin ang karapatan at kapakanan ng mga kapwa estudyante.

Kaya nang umupo ako bilang chairman ng Committee on Education sa pagsisimula ng 17th Congress, ginawa kong prayoridad ang mga panukalang nagsusulong ng kapakanan ng mga mahihirap nating estudyante.

Isa sa mga panukalang inihain ko ay ang Senate Bill No. 177, na layong magbigay ng libreng tuition sa mga estudyante sa state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Kapag naisabatas ang panukala, ito’y katuparan ng matagal kong pangarap noong ako pa’y student leader.

***

Noong Lunes, lumapit na sa katotohanan ang pangarap na ito matapos aprubahan sa bicameral conference committee ang pinal na bersiyon ng Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

Sa bahagi ng Senado, tinutukan namin ang pagbibigay ng libreng tuition sa state universities and colleges at ito ang lumabas sa aming bersiyon.

Napaganda pa ang panukala nang isama ang bersiyon ng Kamara, kung saan nililibre na rin ang iba pang bayarin gaya ng miscellaneous fee.

Ibig sabihin nito, halos libre na ang edukasyon sa SUCs pati na sa local universities and colleges o LUCs.

Oras na maratipikahan ng bawat sangay ng Kongreso, ito’y ipadadala na sa Malacanang para sa pirma ni Pangulong Duterte.

 

***

Maraming estudyanteng nangangailangan ang matutulungan ng panukalang ito kapag naging batas.

Isa na rito si Ronald Kenneth Corpus, na kumukuha ng Bache­lor of Science in Civil Engineering sa Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology. Isa si Ronald sa ating mga nakausap sa pagdalaw namin sa iba’t ibang SUCs sa buong bansa.

Si Ronald ay may kakaibang kondisyong medikal kung saan unti-unting kinakain ang kanyang joint at ligament.

Sa kanyang kondisyon, hirap siya kumilos kaya wala siyang magawa kahit gustuhin man niyang magtrabaho.

Kailangan ni Ronald ng therapy ngunit hindi ito kaya ng kanyang ina, na nagtatrabaho lang sa school canteen.

Pinagkakasya lang ng kanyang ina ang kinikitang dalawandaang piso kada araw sa pangangailangan sa bahay at sa pag-aaral ni Ronald at isa pa niyang kapatid.

Sa ngayon, nagbabayad si Ronald at kanyang kapatid ng tig-P7,000 bawat semester o kabuuang P14,000.

Sa tulong ng panukalang ito, ang nasabing halaga ay magagamit nila sa ibang bagay, tulad ng pagpapagamot ni Ronald at sa iba pang mahalagang pangangailangan ng pamilya.

Magiging malaking tulong din ito kay Janice Jaranilla, isang AB English student sa Pangasinan State University.

Maliban sa gastos sa pag-aaral, problema rin ni Janice ang araw-araw na pamasahe dahil sa kanyang kondisyon bilang person with disability (PWD).

Umaabot sa isandaang piso bawat araw ng gastos ni Janine sa pamasahe at limandaang piso kada linggo naman sa pagkain. Ulila na si Janine at umaasa lang sa kapatid na taga-Bolinao para sa kanyang gastusin sa pag-aaral.

Nakakatanggap si Janine ng P2,000 kada semester mula sa tanggapan ng mayor bilang ayuda sa kanyang pag-aaral. 

Ito’y mapupunta na lang sa kanyang gastusin sa pamasahe at pagkain kung malilibre na ang kanyang pag-aaral sa SUC.  Malaking gaan din ito sa kanyang kapatid na may sarili ring pamilya na binubuhay.

***

Dalawa lang sina Ronald at Janice sa maraming matutulungan ng panukalang ito.

Sa pamamagitan nito, magkakaroon sila at marami pang kagaya nilang nangangailangan ng pagkakataon para makaahon sa kahirapan sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon.

Magsisilbing daan ito upang makakuha sila ng magandang trabaho na malaki ang kita na magbibigay ng magandang kinabukasan sa kanila at sa kanilang mga pamilya.

Sen. Bam: Implement law, prioritize children in Lanao del Sur

Sen. Bam Aquino called on concerned government agencies to implement a law that prioritizes the welfare and safety of children during conflicts and disasters amid the ongoing clash between government troops and the Maute group in Marawi City.

 The senator was referring to the Republic Act 10821 or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act. He was the co-author of the measure during his time as chairman of Committee on Youth in the 16th Congress.

“Ang pinaka-kawawa talaga sa mga sakuna at labanan ay ang mga bata. We passed this law to ensure they are protected,” said Sen. Bam.

 “May mga batang nawawalan ng tahanan at may mga nakakasaksi sa karahasan. Alagaan natin sila, tiyakin na sila’y ligtas at ibigay ang lahat ng kanilang pangangailangan,” he added.

Sen. Bam said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is mandated by law to enforce an emergency program for children during disasters and conflicts.

  “We must ensure that this law is fully implemented as it prioritizes the children during these times of armed conflict,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 Sen. Bam made the pronouncement after the United Nations Children’s Fund reported that a child was killed while 50,000 have been displaced in the Marawi conflict.

 Republic Act 10821 provides utmost priority to children during and after every disaster as they are the most vulnerable and are worst affected during disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and flash floods and areas of armed conflicts like Marawi City.

It also establishes child-centered training to disaster first responders, teachers, psychologists and other volunteers in disaster recovery, relief and rehabilitation, with special modules for different stages of children and youth development.

It mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to formulate a Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children and local government units to integrate the said program in their development and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRM) plans and budget.

 “The law also provides for immediately heightened comprehensive measures by DSWD and the AFP to protect women and children from sexual violence and abuse in the affected areas,” said Sen. Bam.

 

Sen. Bam: Students to enjoy free SUCs starting 2nd sem of school year 2017-18

A senator expects students to benefit from the free education in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs) beginning the second semester of school year 2017-18.

 “Napag-usapan sa bicam na it will be effective second semester ng school year 2017-2018 because by the time na ma-publish ito at maging batas, baka tapos na ang enrollment ng first semester,” said Sen. Bam Aquino, the principal sponsor and co-author of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act in the Senate.

 “We’re hoping that by November or second semester, libre na ang tuition at iba pang bayarin sa ating SUCs,” the senator added.

 As one of its major salient points, the measure prohibits SUCs from collecting other fees from students, making tertiary education totally free for underprivileged students.

 “Kapag napirmahan na ito bilang batas, magiging state policy na libre na ang tertiary level education pagdating sa SUCs at LUCs natin,” said Sen. Bam, who defended the measure in plenary debates and interpellation during his stint as chairman of the Committee on Education.

 Sen. Bam was also the co-chairman of the Senate delegation to the bicameral conference committee, together with new Committee on Education chairman Sen. Francis Escudero. Other members of the Senate panel are Sens. Sherwin Gatchalian and Ralph Recto.

 If enacted into law, it will institutionalize free tuition and other fees in SUCs and LUCs all over the country, giving underprivileged students a chance to earn a college degree.

 It will also make scholarship grants available to students of both public and private college and universities.

The final version of the measure has been ratified by the Senate on Tuesday.

Sen. Bam: Joint session is Congress’ duty

Sen. Bam Aquino insisted that convening a joint session is a duty of Congress and a means to promote welfare of the Filipino people by enlightening them about details behind the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao.

 “It is part of our constitutional requirement and important for the public to be able to listen for themselves kung ano ang sasabihin ng security managers,” said Sen. Bam during Tuesday night’s discussion on the minority group’s Senate Resolution 390, which urges Congress to hold a joint session on the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao.

“During a joint session, iyong ibang pinag-usapan natin during an executive session, kung bakit nagdeklara ng Martial Law, kung ano ang plano at kung hanggang kailan ang hangganan, puwede iyong marinig ng taumbayan,” said Sen. Bam.

 As representatives of the people, Sen. Bam said it is the duty of lawmakers to inform the public details of important issues affecting their lives and the country.

 “The people need to know what it is we also know as much as possible, without breaching any national security matter,” the senator said, adding that Congress must follow its constitutional mandate whatever the outcome of the vote.

 In an earlier interview, Sen. Bam emphasized that a joint session will give security managers a chance to enlighten the public about the situation and address misinformation and fake news circulating online at the same time.

“The people are contradicting each other. Agencies are contradicting each other in terms of facts and in terms of what’s really happening. We need to hear it straight from the security managers,” Sen. Bam pointed out.

 Nine senators voted in favor of the resolution while 12 voted against it. Aside from Sen. Bam, those who voted in favor were Sens. Franklin Drilon, Chiz Escudero, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, Grace Poe, Ralph Recto and Antonio Trillanes.

Those who voted against it were Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Richard Gordon, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda, Manny Pacquiao, Tito Sotto, Cynthia Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III.

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