Author: teambam

Bam: Let’s address the drug menace in our schools

A senator has submitted a resolution to look for ways to address prevalence of illegal drugs in public elementary and high schools in the country.

In Senate Resolution No. 168, Sen. Bam Aquino plans to conduct an inquiry on drug education and prevention programs in schools and alternative learning systems (ALS) that will help keep the youth away from the drug menace.

“All schools and alternative learning systems have a significant role to play in addressing illegal drug use and abuse among children through drug education and other prevention programs,” said Sen. Bam.

 The senator stressed the need for schools and learning institutions to apply evidence-based approaches in the development and implementation of drug education and prevention programs for Filipino children and youth.

Sen. Bam emphasized that peer counseling, after-school programs and the adoption of a drug education framework that fosters trust rather than scare tactics, have proven to be effective tools in thwarting the drug menace.

 Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 mandates that instruction on drug abuse prevention and control shall be integrated in the elementary, secondary and tertiary curricula of all public and private schools.

The law also mandates all elementary, secondary and tertiary school student councils and campus organizations to include in their activities programs for the preventions of and deterrence of drug use and referral of treatment of students for drug dependence.

In addition, Sen. Bam said the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) has identified preventive education programs as a key component of its drug demand reduction strategy to discourage users and impending abusers from experimenting with illicit substances or continuing to abuse them. 

“As part of its mandate, the DDB must implement educational programs catering to every sector of society, including the youth and their educators,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam has also filed a resolution looking into the implementation of reproductive health education in our schools to address the rising number of teen pregnancy in the country.

NEGOSYO, NOW NA!: Bagong bida sa negosyo (1)

Mga kanegosyo, kahit chairman na tayo ng Committee on Education at Science and Technology ngayong 17th Congress, hindi pa rin natin iniiwan ang isa sa pangunahin nating adbokasiya sa Senado, ito ay ang pagtulong sa mga negosyanteng Pilipino, lalo na ang mga micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Kung inyong maaalala,­ ang kauna-unahang batas na naipasa natin bilang senador noong 16th Congress ay ang Go Negosyo Act o Republic Act 10667, na naisabatas noong July 15, 2014.

Sa ilalim ng Negosyo Act, magkakaroon ng Negosyo Center ang lahat ng lalawigan, siyudad at munisipalidad sa buong bansa na siyang magbibigay ng iba’t ibang tulong upang mapalago ang ating MSMEs.

Dalawang taon ang nakalipas, nais kong ibalita sa inyo na 270 na ang Negosyo Centers sa buong Pilipinas. Inaasahan natin na ito’y lalampas sa 300 bago matapos ang taong kasalukuyan.

Ngayon, mas marami nang Negosyo Centers na puwedeng lapitan ang mga negosyante para makakuha ng puhunan nang walang collateral­ mula sa iba’t ibang ­financing institutions.

Makakakuha na rin ng iba pang tulong ang ating mga negosyante, tulad ng training, mga payo sa pagtatayo ng negosyo, pagpapatakbo, product development, marketing, access sa merkado at iba pang suporta.

Isa sa mga nakinabang sa tulong ng Negosyo Center ay ang mag-asawang Melvin at Myrna Rojo, dating OFWs sa Brunei na ngayo’y may-ari ng ‘Myrnz Creation Philippines’ na gumagawa ng masarap na cake sa Iloilo City.

Ngunit isa lang ang mag-asawang Rojo sa libu-libong mga nego­syante na natulungan ng Negosyo Centers.

Sa mga susunod nating kolum, ilalahad natin ang mga kuwento ng tagum­pay ng mga negosyanteng lumapit at natulungan ng Negosyo Centers.

***

Unahin natin ang kuwento ng tagumpay ng Lemunada de Concepcion, na mula sa aking bayan sa Concepcion, Tarlac.

Ang Concepcion Calamansi Growers and Rice Cooperative, na pinamumunuan ni Nemencio Calara. Noong 2013, nagsimula silang magtanim ng kalamansi na ginagawa nilang juice.

Sa una, limitado lang ang kanilang nagagawang produkto at naaabot na merkado dahil sa kakulangan ng pasilidad at kaalaman upang ito’y maipakilala at maipakalat sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng lalawigan.

Noong December 2015, nabigyan ng pagkakataon ang koopera­tiba na palakasin ang produksiyon at benta ng kanilang mga produkto nang magbukas ang Negosyo Center sa munisipyo­ ng Concepcion.

Sa tulong ng Nego­s­yo­­ Center, nakakuha sila ng kasanayan sa product development kung paano mapaganda ang kanilang produktong calamansi juice, mula sa packaging hanggang sa produksyon.

Nabigyan din sila ng technical support sa paggawa ng calamansi juice at kailangang kagamitan para gumawa nito, sa pamamagitan ng shared service facilities ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Malaki rin ang naitulong ng Negosyo Center sa pagpapakilala ng Lemunada de Concepcion sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng munisipalidad, pati na rin ng buong lalawigan.

Ngayon, ibinalita sa amin ni Ginoong Calara na patok na Lemunada de Concepcion sa merkado. Dagsa na rin ang alok sa kanilang dalhin ito sa iba pang parte ng lalawigan.

Isa ang Concepcion Calamansi Growers and Rice Cooperative at ang produkto nilang Lemunada de Concepcion sa mga Bagong Bida sa Negosyo, sa tulong ng Negosyo Center.

Kung mayroon kayong ideya sa negosyo, huwag na kayong mag-atubiling lumapit sa Negosyo Center sa inyong lugar. Malay niyo, kayo na ang susunod nating tampok sa Bagong Bida sa Negosyo.

***

Mga Kanegosyo, kung may tanong kayo sa pagnenegosyo, mag-e-mail kay Kanegosyong Bam sa negosyonowna@gmail.com o mag-iwan ng mensahe safb.com/BenignoBamAquino.

Ugaliin ding makinig tuwing Biyernes, alas-dos hanggang alas-tres ng hapon sa DZRH 666 sa programang “Go Negosyo sa Radyo” kasama si Cheska San Diego. Ang programa’y sa kagandahang loob ng Go Negosyo at MBC.

Pangarap namin­ na magkaroon kayo ng kabuhayan sa pamamagitan ng ­pagnene­gosyo!

Bam eyes probe on status of sex education in schools

Amid the alarming rise in number of teen pregnancies in the country, a senator has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry on the status of the implementation of reproductive health education in schools.

In Senate Resolution No. 169, Sen. Bam Aquino said the Department of Education (DepEd) is tasked by Republic Act 10354 or to develop a curriculum for reproductive health education that will be used by public schools and may be adopted by private schools.

In 2013, the DepEd released the K to 12 Curriculum Guide for Health, which incorporates lessons on Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood.

“Ngayong tumataas ang bilang ng mga kabataang nabubuntis, nais nating malaman kung ano nga ba ang estado ng nasabing curriculum at kung paano ito itinuturo sa ating mga paaralan,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

Based on 2011 to 2014 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Sen. Bam said teenage pregnancy in the country is on the rise, with one in every ten women of child-bearing age is a teenager and 24 babies are born every hour from teenage mothers.

 “The youth are faced with critical decisions involving sexual and reproductive health that could have a major impact on their lives,” said Sen. Bam.

The senator added that research by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) shows that majority of adolescents still lack the knowledge to make responsible decisions.

 “UNFPA Country Representative Klaus Beck highlighted the importance of including sexuality education in our Philippine education system to help ensure young girls and boys make responsible choices based on accurate information,” said Sen. Bam. 

Without adequate information, Sen. Bam said teenagers are left vulnerable to coercion, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.

Bam eyes protection for PH freelancers

With freelancing now a growing sector in the country’s labor force, Sen. Bam Aquino has filed a measure seeking to protect the rights and welfare of freelancers.

 “With more and more freelancers in the country, we are confronted with an urgent need to protect this new sector and empower them with ease of doing business,” Sen. Bam said in Senate Bill No 351.

 According to Sen. Bam, the bill gives freelancers the power to demand from their employer what they are rightfully due under their agreement.

 If an employer refuses to pay a freelancer for services rendered, the latter can file a complaint to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which can impose a penalty of up to P250,000 on the non-compliant party if found liable.

 “Further civil penalties will also be imposed for every day that the employer refuses to compensate the freelancer. The aggrieved party has the option of filing a civil case against his or her employer,” said Sen. Bam.

 The measure also makes it easier for freelancers to register in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and mandates that they be exempted from tax payments for the first three years.

 “Let us waste no time in ensuring that they are not inconvenienced by red tape and that they are protected from difficult, even fraudulent clients,” said Sen. Bam.

 The bill was referred to the Committees on Labor and Ways and Means.

Bam: Ingatan ang padala ng mga OFW, iwasan ang port congestion

Senator Bam Aquino called on concerned government agencies and private stakeholders to work together to prevent congestion in the Port of Manila to avoid delays in the arrival of products and packages, especially from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to their loved ones.

 “Maraming pamilya ang nag-aabang ng mga padala mula sa minamahal nilang OFWs ngayong panahon ng kapaskuhan. Sayang naman kung mabubulok lang ito sa ating mga pantalan kapag may congestion,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam made the call after an official of the Department of Transportation warned that port congestion may occur with the influx of goods and products from other countries as Christmas season approaches.

“If you remember, two years ago the port congestion was a big headache for Filipinos in Metro Manila – delivery of goods was delayed, cargo trucks caused traffic, and balikbayan boxes remained stranded in the port. We were able to solve the problem then, but we must guard against another port congestion,” the senator stressed.

During his term as chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship in the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam initiated a probe on the congestion that occurred at the Port ofManila two years ago.

 After bringing government agencies and private stakeholders in one table, the problem was ironed out after several months of investigation.

But Aquino said that the heavy volume of containers from September to December may revive the problem.

“Sa ngayon, maaaring normal ang operasyon at maluwag pa ang ating mga pantalan pero baka maulit ang port congestion sa pagdagsa ng mga kargamento sa huling bahagi ng taon. Kailangan na natin itong paghandaan ngayon pa lang,” added Sen. Bam.

Bam: Clear policy essential to country’s economic development

A senator urged the government to lay down a clear foreign policy direction, saying it is essential to the economy and the country’s development as a nation.

 Sen. Bam Aquino has filed Senate Resolution No. 158, urging the government to clarify the country’s stand on different foreign policy issues amid varying statements by President Duterte and other administration officials.

 ​​“Given recent statements coming from the President and senior government officials, there is a need to clarify government’s position and engagements with its neighbors and allies,” Sen. Bam emphasized.

 ​​“This is to assure the Filipino public and international community that we are pursuing a clear and coherent foreign policy that is most beneficial to the country,” he added.

 Sen. Bam saw the need for clarification after contrasting claims by several government officials on different foreign policy issues​, such as our joint maritime patrols and ​​the stationed American troops in Mindanao.​

 ​“I hope we can clear up these conflicting statements soon so that our strategies to protect our territory and develop our economy are aligned with the administration,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 As provided in Article 2, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, Sen. Bam said a clear strategic foreign policy is integral to the country’s development.

 ​“Our relations with members of the international community have bearing on our ability to protect our territory and environment, develop our economy, and promote the welfare and well-being of our citizens,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 

BIDA KA!: Aral ng kasaysayan

Mga bida, marami sa atin ay pamilyar na sa kasabihang “ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan”.

Madalas, ikinakabit ang kasabi­hang ito sa utang na loob sa ­kapwa ngunit ito’y maiuugnay rin sa ­kasaysayan.

Mahalaga na alam natin ang nilalaman ng ating kasaysayan, maging mabuti man ito o masama, upang matuto tayo sa karanasan ng nakaraan.

Kung ito ma’y masama, ang aral ng nakaraan ay magsisilbing paalala sa atin na huwag nang hayaang ito’y mangyari muli.

Sa ibang bansa sa Europa, gaya ng Germany, itinuturo ang holocaust na madilim na bahagi ng kanilang kasay­sayan sa mamamayan upang magsilbing gabay sa kasalukuyan at ­susunod na henerasyon.

May panukala pa silang inilatag upang tiyaking tama at batay sa katotohanan ang mga itinuturo ukol sa malawakang pagpatay sa mga Hudyo.

Dito sa atin, nakasaad sa Section 27 ng Martial Law Victim Reparation Act of 2013 na dapat magtulungan ang CHED at DepEd sa pagpapakalat ng impormasyon ukol sa Martial Law upang hindi na ito muling mangyari.

***

Ito ang isa sa pangunahing dahilan kaya tayo naghain ng resolusyon upang alamin kung paano itinuturo ang Martial Law sa ating mga paaralan.

Ginawa natin ang hakbang matapos tayong tumanggap ng balita na hindi tama at kulang ang impormasyong nakalagay sa mga aklat sa mga eskuwelahan.

 

Hindi nakalagay rito ang libu-libo katao na namatay, pinahirapan o bigla na lang nawala o ang sampung bilyong dolyar na ninakaw sa kaban ng bayan.

Maliban pa rito, may tangka rin sa Internet na baguhin ang kasaysayan at palitawin na ang Martial Law ay isa sa pinakamagandang panahon sa ating bansa.

Ang masakit nito, marami sa ating mga kabataan ang ­naniniwala sa mga maling kuwento sa Internet dahil na rin sa kawalan ng sapat na kaalaman sa nangyari noong panahon ng Martial Law.

***

Sa pagdinig noong Martes, natutuwa tayo sa ibinalita ni Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor ­Briones, na isa ring biktima ng Martial Law, na kasalukuyan nang ­inilalatag ng ahensiya ang bagong curriculum na bahagi ng K to 12 program.

Sa nasabing pagbabago, ilalatag na ang mas kumpetong larawan ng ating kasaysayan, kung saan makikita ng ating mga kabataan ang lahat ng aspeto ng mga nangyari sa naka­lipas, lalo nang katiwalian at pag-abuso na nangyari noong Martial Law.

Ang mga pagbabagong ito ay bunga ng pagtutulungan ng mga personalidad mula sa iba’t ibang larangan, mula sa kasaysayan gaya ng National Historical Commission of the ­Philippines at Commission on Human Rights.

May panawagan din ang DepEd na sa mga susunod na pagbuo ng bagong curriculum at mga aklat na ukol sa kasay­sayan, magtulung-tulong ang iba’t ibang historian, mga abogado at iba pang may alam sa batas upang mabuo ang mas akmang nangyari sa nakalipas.

Ayon sa DepEd, ginagawa nila ang lahat upang mapa­dali ang paglabas ng mga bagong libro na nag­lalaman ng mga bagong detalye ukol sa ating kasaysayan, hindi lang ng Martial Law, kun’di ng iba pang pag-abuso na nangyari sa mga nakalipas na ­panahon.

Kapag kumpleto na ang paglalabas ng DepEd ng mga aklat na naglalaman ng bagong impormasyon ukol sa kasaysayan, magkakaroon ang mga kabataan ng matibay na pundasyon ng kaalaman.

Sa tulong nito, mas madali nilang masusuri at masasala ang nakikita nila sa Internet kung ito ba’y may katotohanan o pawang kasinungalingan lang.

Sabi nga, sa anumang larangan, lamang ang may alam.

Bam: LGUs open to fast tracking permits for cell sites, IT infrastructure

Are you amenable to fast tracking permits for Internet infrastructure?

 Senator Bam Aquino threw this challenge to local government units (LGUs), which are being blamed for the slow and tedious issuing of permits to build the cell sites needed to improve internet quality in the country.

 “If we include provisions on fast tracking cell site construction, how would the LGUs feel about that?” Sen. Bam asked during the Senate hearing on proposal to grant President Duterte emergency powers to solve the worsening traffic problem in the country.

“If in the emergency powers bill, in an Executive Order, or in the Free Wi-Fi Bill, nakalagay doon na within one month, the cities must choose specific areas for cell site applications, would you be amenable?” Sen. Bam asked Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Calamba City Mayor Justin Marc Chipeco and representatives from Manila and Pasay.

“Opo. In fact, we also want that dahil iyan ang hinihingi ng mga kababayan namin, magiging expeditious din ang mga proyekto at the same time, iyong access the communication mabilis din,” said Mayor Bautista.

 However, Bautista said they can only fast track the process for government-owned properties and not on private properties, such as subdivisions, which must go through the regular process of permit approval.

 “We fully support that proposal. Kaya po iyon,” said Manila City administrator Atty. Ericson Alcovendaz.

 “We support that initiative. Information Technology (IT) has a significant footprint on the solution [to traffic]. If we can make less people go out on the streets and work from home, so much the better,” stressed Pasay City administrator Dennis Acorda.

Chipeco, for his part, supports the proposal as he sees the need to improve Internet speed because it is a necessity, more than a luxury. 

In an earlier hearing conducted by Sen. Bam as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and telecommunication companies complained about difficulty in acquiring permits from LGUS for their infrastructure development efforts.

Bam: ‘Historical revisionism’ of Martial Law slap in face of victims

Sen. Bam Aquino expressed alarm over the “historical revisionism” efforts to make it appear that the Martial Law era was the golden years in our country’s history saying, “it’s a slap in the face of the thousands who were unjustly tortured and killed during that period”.
 
“Hindi lang siya nakakalimutan, binabago na ang ating kasaysayan. Iyon iyong mas nakakabahala, na tila sinasabi na sa panahon ng Martial Law, walang namatay, walang kinulong, walang tinorture,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“It’s a disservice and a slap in the face for those victims na parang kinakalimutan natin ang masamang nangyari noong panahon na iyon,” added Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress.
 
According to historical records, 3,257 were killed, around 35,000 were tortured while 70,000 were incarcerated during the Martial Law rule, which ran from 1972 to 1981.
 
In addition to the rampant human rights violation, an estimated $10 billion in government money was stolen, according to Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) records.
 
As part of his advocacy to educate today’s youth about the horrors of Martial Law, Sen. Bam recently conducted an investigation to determine how it is being taught in public elementary, high schools and colleges.
 
During the hearing, the Department of Education, through Sec. Leonor Briones, revealed that the agency would introduce a new curriculum and new textbooks in the next few months that will provide accurate details about the dark side of the Martial Law era.
 
“We’re happy that DepEd is undergoing the change in curriculum at sabi nga nila, ipapakita nila ang mas kumpletong larawan ng Martial Law. Palagay ko kasi, ang lumang textbook natin, ayaw ipakita iyong mga masamang nangyari sa ating bansa,” Sen. Bam said.
 
“Secretary Briones herself said na itong curriculum change, makikita ng mga kabataan natin iyong kasamaan ng Martial Law, which is, of course, the corruption and human rights abuses,” he added.
 
Sen. Bam is confident that if the youth are properly informed about what really occurred during the Martial Law era, they can scrutinize what they see online.
 
“Kung mayroon silang pundasyon kung ano ang tama at ano ang mali, ano iyong nangyari at ano iyong hindi nangyari, pag online na sila ay mas may kakayahan silang suriin kung ano talaga ang katotohanan,” Sen. Bam said.

BIDA KA!: Aral ng kasaysayan

Mga bida, marami sa atin ay pamilyar na sa kasabihang “ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makararating sa paroroonan”.

Madalas, ikinakabit ang kasabi­hang ito sa utang na loob sa ­kapwa ngunit ito’y maiuugnay rin sa ­kasaysayan.

Mahalaga na alam natin ang nilalaman ng ating kasaysayan, maging mabuti man ito o masama, upang matuto tayo sa karanasan ng nakaraan.

Kung ito ma’y masama, ang aral ng nakaraan ay magsisilbing paalala sa atin na huwag nang hayaang ito’y mangyari muli.

Sa ibang bansa sa Europa, gaya ng Germany, itinuturo ang holocaust na madilim na bahagi ng kanilang kasay­sayan sa mamamayan upang magsilbing gabay sa kasalukuyan at ­susunod na henerasyon.

May panukala pa silang inilatag upang tiyaking tama at batay sa katotohanan ang mga itinuturo ukol sa malawakang pagpatay sa mga Hudyo.

Dito sa atin, nakasaad sa Section 27 ng Martial Law Victim Reparation Act of 2013 na dapat magtulungan ang CHED at DepEd sa pagpapakalat ng impormasyon ukol sa Martial Law upang hindi na ito muling mangyari.

***

Ito ang isa sa pangunahing dahilan kaya tayo naghain ng resolusyon upang alamin kung paano itinuturo ang Martial Law sa ating mga paaralan.

Ginawa natin ang hakbang matapos tayong tumanggap ng balita na hindi tama at kulang ang impormasyong nakalagay sa mga aklat sa mga eskuwelahan.

Hindi nakalagay rito ang libu-libo katao na namatay, pinahirapan o bigla na lang nawala o ang sampung bilyong dolyar na ninakaw sa kaban ng bayan.

Maliban pa rito, may tangka rin sa Internet na baguhin ang kasaysayan at palitawin na ang Martial Law ay isa sa pinakamagandang panahon sa ating bansa.

Ang masakit nito, marami sa ating mga kabataan ang ­naniniwala sa mga maling kuwento sa Internet dahil na rin sa kawalan ng sapat na kaalaman sa nangyari noong panahon ng Martial Law.

***

Sa pagdinig noong Martes, natutuwa tayo sa ibinalita ni Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor ­Briones, na isa ring biktima ng Martial Law, na kasalukuyan nang ­inilalatag ng ahensiya ang bagong curriculum na bahagi ng K to 12 program.

Sa nasabing pagbabago, ilalatag na ang mas kumpetong larawan ng ating kasaysayan, kung saan makikita ng ating mga kabataan ang lahat ng aspeto ng mga nangyari sa naka­lipas, lalo nang katiwalian at pag-abuso na nangyari noong Martial Law.

Ang mga pagbabagong ito ay bunga ng pagtutulungan ng mga personalidad mula sa iba’t ibang larangan, mula sa kasaysayan gaya ng National Historical Commission of the ­Philippines at Commission on Human Rights.

May panawagan din ang DepEd na sa mga susunod na pagbuo ng bagong curriculum at mga aklat na ukol sa kasay­sayan, magtulung-tulong ang iba’t ibang historian, mga abogado at iba pang may alam sa batas upang mabuo ang mas akmang nangyari sa nakalipas.

Ayon sa DepEd, ginagawa nila ang lahat upang mapa­dali ang paglabas ng mga bagong libro na nag­lalaman ng mga bagong detalye ukol sa ating kasaysayan, hindi lang ng Martial Law, kun’di ng iba pang pag-abuso na nangyari sa mga nakalipas na ­panahon.

Kapag kumpleto na ang paglalabas ng DepEd ng mga aklat na naglalaman ng bagong impormasyon ukol sa kasaysayan, magkakaroon ang mga kabataan ng matibay na pundasyon ng kaalaman.

Sa tulong nito, mas madali nilang masusuri at masasala ang nakikita nila sa Internet kung ito ba’y may katotohanan o pawang kasinungalingan lang.

Sabi nga, sa anumang larangan, lamang ang may alam.

***

Mga Bida, makipagkuwentuhan kay Sen. Bam sa fb.com/BenignoBamAquino o sa e-mailbidakacolumn@gmail.com

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