Author: teambam

Bam: Look into state of children in conflict-torn areas

A senator has filed a resolution seeking to look into the state of the children affected by the recent military operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group in Basilan, Sulu and other conflict-areas while the country is under state of emergency.

Sen. Bam Aquino’s Senate Resolution No. 134 is aimed at ensuring the protection, safety and well-being of children, in accordance with Republic Act No. 10821, or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act.

​​“There is a need to ensure that all children in conflict-affected areas are protected from the crossfire, and that the comprehensive policies and programs envisioned in the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act are in place to ensure the safety and well-being of children during this state of emergency,” Sen. Bam said in his resolution.

​​President Duterte signed Proclamation No. 55 last September 5, 2016, placing Mindanao under a state of emergency on account of lawless violence, following the bombing of a night market that killed 14 people in Davao City.

​​The proclamation directs the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to undertake measures to suppress all forms of lawless violence in Mindanao and prevent lawless violence from spreading elsewhere across the country.

​​Based on a report by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), that as of September 5, some 1,729 family heads with 6,218 dependents from the Basilan municipalities of Sumisip, Tuburan, Moh Ajul and Akbar, were evacuated to safer areas.

​​The agency is also assisting the affected LGUs in providing food and non-food to the families, distributing a total of 2,311 family food packs to the internally displaced persons, while the DSWD-Field Office-IX has delivered 6,000 family food packs to the province.

​​In Sulu, close to 4,000 families have been displaced from their homes because of the military’s recent intensified offensive against the bandit group.

 ​​The Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act provides for the establishment of a Comprehensive Emergency Program to protect children and support their immediate recovery in times of disaster and emergency.

​​According to Sen. Bam, the program includes the identification of safe locations as evacuation centers for children and families, and establishment of child-friendly spaces.

​​“It also provides for the immediate delivery of basic necessities, and health and educational services tailored to the needs of the affected children,” the senator added.

​​The law mandates the DSWD to engage all relevant government agencies and stakeholders for the implementation of the Comprehensive Emergency Program.

Bam on alleged impeachment plot vs President Duterte

Transcript of media interview

 

Firstly, there’s no such plot. I think a number of us said that already.

Para sa akin, the leader of our party is a member of his Cabinet. So it’s something I think that they’ll probably have to talk about.

 

Q: Magkakaroon ba sila ng private conversation about it?

Sen. Bam: You can ask the VP but alam ko, she’ll try to clarify things with him tomorrow.

 Nagulat din ako when he said that, obviously we’re here, we’re supportive of Sen. Pimentel and we’re supportive of the reforms that his departments are trying to push.

 So, clearly for me there’s really no plot. I don’t know where he got his information but more importantly, again, the leader of our party is a member of his Cabinet.

 Maganda siguro mapag-usapan din nila iyan bukas.

 

Q: Wala kayong alam na any member who is planning to file any impeachment complaint?

 Sen. Bam: No. Not at all. We never even talked about it. We were all kind of surprised when he said that statement so I think there really needs to be a clearing of the air with him.

 Kailangang klaruhin talaga sa kanya and if there’s any misinformation that he’s been getting, dapat maging malinaw iyon. I think it’s good kasi pag-uusapan nila ni Vice President Leni.

 

Q: Ano ang posisyon ngayon sa LP ni VP Leni?

 Sen. Bam: We’re undergoing some transitions but usually kasi after elections, there’s a new set of officials. That doesn’t happened yet but as the highest member in our party, she’s the leader of our party.

Bam: Unacceptable that only 26 percent of public schools have Internet connection

Only 26 percent of public schools in the country have Internet access, which is detrimental to students’ competitiveness, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

 DepEd Undersecretary Alain Pascua made this revelation during the Committee on Education hearing on the status of Internet connectivity in public schools all over the country.

 According to Pascua, the data is worrisome since DepEd considers connectivity as one of the important tools in learning.

 “Nakakabahala sa akin na sa report ng Department of Education (DepEd) na 26 percent ng ating eskuwelahan ay may Internet connectivity,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

 “And to think, may bilyun-bilyong piso silang budget para i-connect ang ating mga eskuwelahan sa Internet, only about one-fourth lang ang may kakayahang mag-connect dahil sa kakulangan sa infrastructure at Internet signal,” Sen. Bam added.

 With this, Sen. Bam urged the DepEd, Department of Information and Communications (DICT) and telecommunication companies to map out a plan that will address the problem.

 This way, public schools and state colleges and universities will be included in the roll-out of the government’s free Wi-Fi project all over the country in the next two years.

 “Kung ang mga eskuwelahan natin hindi maka-connect sa Internet, kaagad-agad, hindi na sila competitive gaya ng ibang eskuwelahan dito at sa buong mundo,” said Sen. Bam.

 By allowing Internet connectivity in schools, Sen. Bam stressed that it will pave the way for our public educational system to be taken to the future.

 “Gusto naming makita ang roadmap kung paano ang 26 percent, magiging 100 at kung ilang taon bago ma-fulfill ang ating goal,” the senator explained.

 Sen. Bam pointed out that public schools need reliable Internet connection to support and enhance the learning capabilities of students by giving them access to learning materials and online information.

 As chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, Sen. Bam also discussed several bills seeking to establish free Wi-Fi to public places in different parts of the country.

 The DICT said it is planning to put up free Wi-Fi in 12,841 public areas in different parts of the country by November 2017.

 However, the DICT and telecommunication companies difficulty in acquiring permits from local government units (LGUs) are hampering their infrastructure development efforts.

 “We want to make sure na ang mga balakid na ito, matanggal na para magkaroon tayo ng free Wi-Fi,” said Sen. Bam.

BIDA KA!: Davao City bombing

Mga bida, napakaespesyal po ng Davao City para sa akin at sa aking pamilya.

Kilala po ako at ang aking ­pamilya bilang tubong Tarlac ngunit sa mga hindi nakakaalam, ang akin pong ina at ang kanyang angkan ay mula Davao.

Ang aking lolo na si ­Segundo Aguirre ay naging principal ng ­University of Mindanao. Ang lola ko naman na si Victoria Aguirre ay naging chairperson ng Filipino ­Department sa nasabing unibersidad.

Sa Davao po lumaki at nagtapos ang aking ina. Sa Davao po niya nakilala ang aking ama habang sila ay nagtatrabaho sa Davao branch ng SGV. Davao po ang setting ng kanilang love story at sa Davao rin sila ikinasal.

Sa aking paglaki, pumupunta kami sa Davao para bisitahin­ ang aking lolo at lola at hanggang ngayon, mayroon pa rin kaming mga kamag-anak na nakatira sa tinaguriang “Crown Jewel of Mindanao”.

***

Nang malaman namin na sila’y ligtas, ang kaba na aming naramdaman ay unti-unti na naging galit.

Nagdurugo ang aking puso dahil ang karumal-dumal na pangyayaring ito ay gawa ng mga Pilipino sa kapwa Pilipino.

At pinili pa nila ang lugar na dinadagdsa ng mga nagde-date, mga pamilyang namamasyal at kung saan nagtatagpo ang mga magkakaibigan.

Kabilang dito si Ruth Merecido, isang dalagang ina na nagta­trabaho bilang therapist. Nasawi rin si Pipalawan ­Macacua, isang senior education official of CHED sa ARMM na isang masugid na sumusuporta sa usapang pangkapayapaan sa Mindanao.

Ilan lang sila sa mga nasawi noong gabi ng Biyernes nang punitin ng isang malakas na pagsabog ang kasiyahang nangyayari sa lugar na iyon.

***

Sa aking privilege speech noong Lunes, binanggit ko na ngayon ang panahon upang tayo’y magpalakas ng puwersa sa pamamagitan ng suporta sa ating mga pulis at militar.

Subalit magagawa lang nila ito kung ibibigay natin ang ­lahat ng kanilang kailangan para imbestigahan, hulihin at ­papanagutin sa batas ang mga nasa likod ng pagsabog.

Ikalawa, kailangan na nating mas maging mapagbantay sa ating kapaligiran laban sa anumang banta sa ating buhay.

Subalit hindi lang tayo dapat maging alerto sa mga naiwanang­ bag o kahina-hinalang kilos ng sinuman.

Higit sa lahat, dapat tayong mas maging mapagbantay sa mga maling impormasyon na kumakalat sa Internet at sa ating lipunan.

Nakalulungkot dahil may ilang grupo na nagpapakalat ng maling balita na ginagamit ang insidenteng ito upang lalo pang paghati-hatiin ang mga Pilipino.

Dahil nakataya rito ang ating buhay at sistema ng pamumuhay, dapat nating timbangin ang mga impormasyon na ating natatanggap kung ito ba’y totoo o malaking kasinu­ngalingan.

Ikatlo at pinakamahalaga sa lahat, dapat tayong magkaisa.

Ang layunin ng terorismo ay maghasik ng lagim at lagyan ng malaking dibisyon ang ating bansa.

Kapag hinayaan natin na tayo’y magkahati-hati, mananalo ang terorismo sa ating bansa.

Ngayon, higit sa lahat, dapat tayong magsama-samang ­kumilos upang tiyakin na hindi na mauulit ang nasabing ­insidente.

Sa madaling salita, isantabi natin ang pulitika at ibigay ang lahat ng kanilang kailangan upang masugpo ang banta ng ­terorismo sa bansa.

Marami nang nalampasang pagsubok ang mga Pilipino — mula sa mga bagyo, lindol, baha at iba pang kalamidad. At ito’y dahil sa ating pagkakaisa.

Ito rin ang gamitin nating susi upang tayo’y makabuo nang mapayapa at ligtas na lipunan.

***

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

Bam: Look after children during state of lawlessness, armed conflict

A senator called on concerned government agencies to ensure the welfare and safety of civilians, especially the children, affected by the administration’s drive against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao and the perpetrators of the Davao bombing.

 “The welfare of our Filipino children should be the utmost priority since they are one of the most vulnerable sectors during these times of lawlessness and armed conflict,” said Sen. Bam Aquino.

 According to Sen. Bam, Republic Act 10821, or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act provides utmost protection to Filipino children during disasters, calamities and armed conflicts.

 “Kasabay ng ating kampanya laban sa Abu Sayyaf, huwag nating kaligtaan ang kapakanan, pangangailangan at kaligtasan ng mga taong naaapektuhan ng bakbakan, lalo na ang mga bata,” said Sen. Bam, a co-author of the measure, which he filed during his tenure as chairman of the Committee on Youth in the 16th Congress.

 “Mahalagang matiyak natin na mayroon silang pansamantalang matutuluyan, pagkain, gamot, damit at iba pang pangangailangan habang naghihintay na maging normal ang sitwasyon sa kanilang lugar,” he added.

 The law gives priority to children during and after every disaster, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and man-made disasters such as war and armed conflict.

 It will also establish 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.

According to Sen. Bam, existing policies will also be reviewed to give better support to Filipino children, especially during disasters, calamities or in armed conflict to help lessen trauma, restore normalcy quickly and build their resilience better.

 “We will continue to work in protecting our Filipino children during disasters, calamities, or armed conflict, but also to reduce trauma and build their resistance to these threats,” he added.

Senate Bill No. 916: Comprehensive Nursing Act

The Philippines is the largest exporter of nurses in the world and Filipino nurses have proven to be one of the most highly skilled assets of our country. Sadly, nurses continue to be undervalued at home and vulnerable to dangerously long working hours and exploitative employment arrangements. Further, despite there being 200,000 underemployed or unemployed nurses, healthcare is still lacking in many rural areas.

If we invested in harnessing the massive potential of our existing healthcare professionals, we can address this healthcare shortage with a strong, competent, and professionally-regulated nursing board.

This bill seeks the creation of a Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing (PRBN) that will be responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the nursing profession are hlld up to standards of excellence. The PRBN will be mandated to promulgate quality standards of nursing education, research, practice, and management.

Through this measure, we will set a standard for academic excellence for all nursing programs in line with the Policies, Standards and Guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education.

The PRBN shall also implement an Advanced Practice Nursing Program which will provide professional development opportunities to existing nurses. Through this program, nurses can expand their skill base, assume more responsibilities on the medical floor, and be better able to serve our countrymen.

Most importantly, this bill aims to protect the welfare of our nurses and uplift the nursing profession by initiating studies on how healthcare professionals should be trained, managed, and developed in an organization, ensuring that working conditions and compensation are compliant with the Code of Ethics for nursing.

Filipino nurses must be empowered with better education, a broader skill base, and more viable opportunities within the country. Ultimately this will uplift the nursing profession while providing better healthcare to all Filipinos. 

In view of the foregoing and to ascertain our commitment to the Filipino people, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 

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Senate Bill No. 696: Rideshare Support Company Act

The rain is pouring heavily and commuters are muddled together under the shade. Taxi queues are long and winding yet taxis are nowhere in sight.

Those that decide to brave the rain in search for a cab ride are met with picky drivers or unreasonable contracted rates. To make matters worse, stories of robbery perpetrated by malicious taxi drivers, has left passengers with a justifiable fear and distrust of taxis.

In any industry, increased competition would often lead to improved quality, improved service, and lower prices for consumers. For the commuting public, this is a change they have long clamored for.

Recent technological innovations ushered in an era of ride sharing, giving commuters the option of securing convenient, safe, and affordable rides through internet-based applications.

The DOTC has already recognized these innovations “as a driver for progress” and as one of the solutions to “help address the increasing demand for mobility spurred by rapid urbanization.”

In support of these innovations, the DOTC issued a Memorandum Circular (MC) in 2015 to recognize these ride-sharing services under a new category called “Transportation Network Vehicle Service” and allowed them to operate within the agency’s existing regulatory framework.

While the release of the MC is a significant milestone for the promotion of ride-sharing services in the country, there is a need for legislation to create and institutionalize an appropriate regulatory framework for this new type of service and to distinguish it from public transport services.

The proposed bill clarifies the regulations governing Transportation Network Companies, referred to in the bill as “Rideshare Support Companies”, as well as Rideshare Network Drivers and Vehicles.

This measure seeks to promote and encourage new, affordable transportation options and ensure the safety of the riding the public by imposing safety and financial responsibility standards and requirements. 

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


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Senate Bill No. 917: Filipino Identification System Act

A list of of valid IDs in the Philippines enumerates 33 different forms of identification that are obtained from various government agencies. Often, a different form of identification will be required of a Filipino citizen depending on the service or government agency involved. The bureaucracy, red tape, and wasted time involved in procuring and releasing each different form of identification is economically inefficient for both the government and its citizens. This also hinders the timely delivery of public services to ordinary Filipinos who bear the opportunity cost of applying and waiting for their IDs.

The proliferation of various forms of government identification obtained separately from different agencies also makes the government identification systems vulnerable to discrepancies and identity fraud.

If we are to continue our pursuit to provide high quality social services to all Filipinos in an effective and timely manner, we must take the necessary steps in unifying the identification system which will allow us to have better control and more efficient interaction between citizens and the government.

This bill seeks to establish a unified Filipino Identification System, to be implemented by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA will manage the Filipino Citizen Registry – a master database of all registered Filipinos. Every Filipino citizen, including those born or residing overseas, will be assigned a unique Common Reference Number at birth and will only be required to renew this ID upon reaching the age of majority and again upon reaching the age of 60. This ID shall be used as the sole required identification in any government transaction and will be provided free of charge as part of the government’s social responsibility.

In pursuing a national identification system, Filipinos will have a more efficient experience with government transactions and the government will benefit from a thorough database of information on Filipino citizens. This will also pave the way to more effective ways of delivering government services such as anti-poverty programs and other social services to improve the quality of life for all.

In view of the foregoing and to ascertain our commitment to the Filipino people, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Senate Bill No. 691: Value-Added Tax on Non-Essential Goods

Whether young or old, ingrained in the Filipino psyche and in our daily hygiene is the use of baby cologne.

In a survey of Filipino consumers, baby colognes ranked second only to shampoo in regular usage, placing it above powder, lotion, and hand sanitizers.1

Further, 98% of the splash cologne consumers are from the economic classes C, D, and Ewith Class D taking up 54% of the market share.7

This Act aims to recognize splash cologne as an essential good, setting it apart from perfumes and other luxury fragrances by ascertaining the concentration of the essential oils or perfume in the product.

The proposed amendment is in line with the legal definition already set by Revenue Regulations No. 8 to 84.3

By aligning and streamlining the definition for baby cologne or “toilet water” and recognizing such as an essential good and taxing them accordingly, we will be able to protect our low-income households from unnecessary surges in prices of their inexpensive, but fragrant cologne, and at the same time, provide appropriate support to the baby cologne industry.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Senate Bill No. 648: Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Assistance Act

From the malls of Hong Kong to the souqs of the Middle East and even on massive vessels navigating through borderless seas, you’ll find talented Filipinos diligently working to build a brighter future for their family.

They aren’t only keeping their loved ones above water financially; they are also keeping the Philippine economy afloat with remittances reaching $16.21 billion or P764 billion from January to August 2015.

Even with their contribution, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) remain vulnerable to poor working conditions and abusive employers.

In addition, their employment abroad is no guarantee of financial success.

In a survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last September 2015, only 38.2% of the 563 household-respondents said that a portion of the money from OFWs are set aside for savings.

There are still too many OFWs that come home without a plan for retirement. Keeping in mind our duty to empower and uplift every Filipino, the OFW Protection Act bolsters our support for the OFW community and the families they leave back home.

This measure ensures our OFWs safety by strictly monitoring and assessing accredited partner agencies and mandating 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.

Acknowledging the immense power in access to credible information, this measure orders effective and efficient information dissemination on labor, employment, and migration data through various mediums, including social media.

Lastly, to truly achieve prosperity for every Filipino family, this measure integrates programs on livelihood, entrepreneurship, savings, investments and financial literacy to the existing efforts of embassies.

This is our opportunity show our gratitude and appreciation to our overseas Filipinos while fulfilling our duty as public servants.

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