Author: teambam
Universal Access to Quality Higher 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 in cured 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 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 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 it 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 our workforce so that we may partake more meaningfully in the global production of knowledge.
BIDA KA!: Habag, Hindi Pagpag
Mga bida, isa sa pinakamalaking problema na kinakaharap ng bansa ay kagutuman.
Sa huling ulat ng Social Weather Stations (SWS), tumaas ang bilang ng pamilyang nakaranas ng pagkagutom mula 2.6 milyon sa huling bahagi ng 2015 patungong 3.1 milyon sa unang bahagi ng kasalukuyang taon.
Ito ang dahilan sa likod ng paghahain ko ng Senate Bill No. o Zero Food Waste Act sa pagsisimula ng 17th Congress.
Dalawa ang layunin ng batas na ito — ang mawakasan ang pag-aaksaya ng pagkain at at makatulong upang bawasan ang lumalaking problema ng kagutuman sa bansa.
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Isinusulong ng panukala na bawasan ang pag-aaksaya ng pagkain sa pamamagitan ng pagbigay ng mga supermarket, restaurant sa sobra nilang pagkain sa tinatawag na food-distribution charities o “food banks” para ipamahagi sa mahihirap na pamilyang Pilipino.
Sa kabilang dulo, ang mga tira-tirang pagkain ay ipapadala sa mga composting at waste management plant kung saan ito’y gagamiting compost.
Walang dapat ipag-alala ang mga tatanggap ng pagkain mula sa food banks dahil isang National Zero Food Waste Scheme ang isasagawa, sa pangunguna ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Sa programang ito, titingnan ang kalidad ng mga pagkain mula sa food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, cafeterias at hotels at food banks.
Sa ilalim rin nito, magtatakda ng panuntunan sa pagkolekta, paglalagak at pamamahagi ng pagkaing ibibigay sa food banks.
Ito rin ang magsisilbing tulay sa food banks at local government units (LGUs) upang makaabot sa mga komunidad ang programa.
Magkakaroon din ng tinatawag na Self-Sufficiency Program na magbibigay sa mahihirap ng training kung paano magpatakbo ng food banks at iba pang uri ng kabuhayan upang hindi umasa sa donasyon.
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Sa kabila ng napakagandang layunin ng panukalang ito, umani po tayo ng maraming batikos sa social media, na resulta ng pambabaluktot ng ilang tao sa nilalaman ng ating bill.
Sa kanilang mga inilalabas sa social media, pinapalitaw ng aking mga kritiko na isinusulong ko raw sa panukala ang pagpapakain sa mahihirap ng “Pag-Pag”. Nais kong linawin, hindi kailanman naging intensiyon ng Zero Food Waste Act na ipakain sa mga kapus-palad ang tira-tirang pagkain ng mga restaurant, hotel at iba pang negosyo na may kinalaman sa pagkain.
Kapag naisabatas ito, magsasama-sama ang iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan at non-government organization (NGOs) upang tiyakin na malinis at ligtas ang pagkain na mula sa mga supermarket at restaurant at ipamimigay sa mga kapus-palad.
Sayang naman ang napakagandang programang ito na ipinatutupad na sa ilang mauunlad na bansa gaya ng Japan, Italy, South Korea, Malaysia at France, kung saan ito’y itinuturing na best practice kung masisira lang ng pamumulitika, kasinungalingan at pangwawalanghiya ng ibang tao.
Mga bida, suportahan niyo ako sa labang ito upang mabawasan ang kagutuman sa bansa.
Article first published on Abante Online
Bam seeks to eradicate hunger in 10 years
In an effort to eradicate hunger in the next 10 years, Sen. Bam Aquino has submitted a measure seeking to ensure regular, permanent and unrestricted access to food and nutrition for every Filipino.
“In this day and age of technology, economic development, and social consciousness, it is inexcusable to allow our countrymen to grow hungry,” said Sen. Bam in Senate Bill No. 712 or the Right to Adequate Food Framework Act.
“It is our duty to enhance the welfare of our citizens and ensure that every Filipino is given regular, permanent, and unrestricted access to sufficient food and nutrition,” he added.
Explaining his measure, Sen. Bam it will ensure that land devoted to food production shall be increased to 50 percent of all prime agricultural land in every region.
The measure will also increase the coverage of school feeding programs, the public budget allocation for the marginalized and disadvantaged Filipinos who are unable to feed themselves, as well as research on agriculture, irrigation, and rural development.
A Commission on the Right to Adequate Food under the Commission on Human Rights, will be established to ensure its compliance and implementation to ensure proactive and efficient implementation of plans to achieve zero-hunger in the Philippines.
“The least we can do for our poor countrymen is to actively pursue the eradication of hunger in the Philippines. I urge my colleagues to vote for the passing of this measure,” Sen. Bam said.
The senator also seeks to alleviate childhood malnutrition in the Philippines through a feeding program for infants, public kindergarten and elementary school children.
“It will promote the health of children who are most in need, by providing regular and free access to nutritious food within a safe and clean school and community environment,” Sen. Bam said in Senate Bill No. 694 or the “Pagkaing Pinoy para sa Batang Pinoy” Bill.
In a study called “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012”, conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a total of 16 million Filipinos were considered undernourished from 2010 to 2012.
Aside from eradicating hunger, the measure will also help alleviate poverty by tapping small-scale producers as sources of 30 percent or more for the supplies for the program.
These two measures will complement the senator’s Zero Food Waste Act (SBN 357) that called for supermarkets and restaurants to donate unserved food to the poor through food banks.
Sufficient Change for Consumers has Come
Consumers can better demand for sufficient change from establishments now that Republic Act 10909 or the No Shortchanging Act lapsed into law last July 21, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.
Sen. Bam sponsored the measure penalizing establishments that shortchange consumers in the 16th Congress, during his term as chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.
In his sponsorship speech, Sen. Bam said the Act aims to promote a culture of decency, integrity, and professionalism among Filipino businesses.
By giving consumers what they are due, down to the last centavo, Sen. Bam said it breeds the values of precision and fairness that should permeate through all Filipino businesses, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Naniniwala tayo na madadala at mapakikinabangan ng mga negosyanteng Pilipino ang kasanayang ito kapag lumaki at lumago ang kanilang negosyo,” Sen. Bam said.
The bill penalizes first-time violators with a 500-peso fine while the second offense will warrant a three-month suspension of the establishment’s license to operate along with a fine of 15,000 pesos.
The third violation will result in the revocation of the establishment’s license to operate and a fine of 25,000 pesos.
However, the law allows establishments to give more than the exact change, if situation calls for it.
With its passage, Sen. Bam now has 16 laws to his name, including the Philippine Competition Act, Go Negosyo Act, Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act, Lemon Law, Microfinance NGOs Act, Youth Entrepreneurship Act and Credit Surety Act.
As chairman of the Committee on Youth in the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam co-authored and co-sponsored the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act, the first law in the country with an anti-political dynasty provision.
In addition, Sen. Bam authored or co-authored other laws, such as the Act Authorizing Punong Barangay to Administer Oath of any Government Official, Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, Election Service Reform Act, Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act, Tax Relief for PWDs Act, Closed Caption Broadcasting for Television Act and the law establishing the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
Bam: All systems go for 2 PH teams to The International
With all kinks now ironed out, it’s all systems go for the two Philippine teams that will see action in The International – the biggest DOTA tournament in the world — in Seattle, Washington, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.
Sen. Bam announced that Execration and TNC Pro Team have received the required visas to participate in the tournament with a grand prize of 18 million US dollars, which will be held from August 3 to 13.
“Our prayers for TNC and Execration have been answered. Matutuloy sila sa The International DOTA2 Championships at tuloy rin ang ating pagsuporta!” said Sen. Bam, an ardent supporter of local eSports and video game development industry in the country.
Out of around 20,000 teams vying to qualify for this competition, Sen. Bam said only 18 will compete and two are from the Philippines.
“I would like to wish our Philippine teams good luck as they represent our country in the world stage! We are very proud of you,” the senator added.
Execration and TNC, for their part, thanked Sen. Bam for his continuing support to the eSports community.
Senate Bill No. 169: Small Business Tax Reform Act
The key to achieving prosperity for impoverished Filipino families is a strong micro, small and medium enterprise sector. A strong MSME sector also, in turn, strengthens a country’s economy and guards against foreign financial crises.
Currently, MSMEs already account for roughly 32-35% of the country’s GDP. Sadly, despite the growth in number of small enterprises in the Philippines, few are able to sustain their operation and create long-term success.
For this reason, our office has pushed for a number of policies to improve the support system for this vital sector and we will continue to do so until our country’s business environment is ripe for local entrepreneurs to succeed.
This particular legislation deals with the tricky subject of taxation.
According to a joint study by PwC and the World Bank, Paying Taxes 2016, the Philippines is on the 126th spot out of 189 economies in Ease of Paying Taxes.
This must change, which is why we are asserting the Small Business Tax Reform Act as a measure to simplify tax procedures and unburden our small businesses of the complex tax process.
Proposed measures include a simpler bookkeeping, a special lane and assistance desk for small businesses, exemption from tax audit, annual filing of returns, and payment in installment.
This bill also proposes the lowering of the income tax rate for small businesses and an exemption from VAT, among other methods of stimulating growth in small businesses as opposed to hindering it.
Let’s streamline our tax system and boost the chances of our local enterprises to succeed and, in turn, generate prosperity and livelihood for more and more Filipinos.
Senate Bill No. 174: End ENDO Act
Over the past decade, the Philippines has been experiencing GDP gains and exponential economic growth. However, the unemployment and underemployment rates remain high.
There are almost a million new jobseekers that enter the labor force each year and, sadly, employment opportunities are simply not enough to absorb them. Worse, with many skilled and experienced employees agreeing to entry-level jobs just to have a steady source of income, first-time jobseekers with limited or low-level skills are left with no job opportunities.
This is where contractors and subcontractors help job seekers in skills-building, particularly in developing occupational skills that match industry demand. Contractors and subcontractors also help employees in upgrading existing skills, learning new skills and opening up more opportunities for them.
On the other end, contractors and subcontractors also help employers and companies expand their businesses with minimal costs and freedom to focus on their core business. Consequently, when these businesses expand, more jobs are created.
Seeing the impact of this flexibility, the government and contractors/subcontractors must work together to establish a framework, filling the gaps in current industry practices and protecting both employers and employees.
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