Consumer Protection

Print Ads Imposing Age Limit on Applicants Equal to Discrimination – DOLE

Billboards and advertisements imposing age limit on applicants is tantamount to discrimination, an official of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

Assistant Secretary Gloria Tango made the pronouncement during the Senate hearing on the proposed measure to remove age limit for job applicants.

“Putting age limit on billboards for a job vacancy is considered discrimination,” Tango said in response to Senator Bam Aquino’s query regarding the practice of employers in imposing age restrictions on applicants.

However, Tango said employers get away with it because there is no penalty for such action.

Tango added that some employers are not aware that putting age limit on advertisements for job openings is already equivalent to discrimination.

“Information dissemination is one area where we can intensify our advocacy against discrimination,” Tango emphasized.

Aquino earlier committed to work against practice of companies to hire employees based on age, calling it discriminatory on the part of workers who still want to be productive citizens.

As part of his promise, Aquino will work on to add age as a basis on the bill that he filed seeking to prohibit and penalize discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, civil status, HIV status and other medical condition, among others.

Explaining his bill, Aquino said that while the Philippines was a signatory to numerous international agreements that seek to ensure respect for the human rights of all persons, discrimination is still prevalent in schools, workplaces, public service, as well as commercial establishments.

“In schools, workplaces, commercial establishments, public service, police and military, prejudicial practices and policies based on sexual orientation, gender and cultural identity limit the exercise and enjoyment of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as impede or delay the delivery of basic services,” Aquino said.

Sen. Bam: Filipino Workers Should Have Lower Taxes

Good news for Filipino workers burdened by high taxes!

Filipinos burdened by high taxes can heave a sigh of relief once a bill filed by Senator Bam Aquino seeking to review and reform current tax system is enacted into law.

In explaining Senate Bill No. 1942, Aquino said there’s an urgent need to revise the current tax bracket set by the National Internal Revenue Code, which was passed in 1997.

“Now is the time to get this updated and be attuned to the present time,” Aquino stressed.  “We cannot continue using outdated tax brackets and a threshold which were approved fifteen years ago.”

“The salary of a management level employee fifteen years ago will probably be equivalent to the salary of an entry level call center agent today because of inflation and other economic factors,” he added.

Under Aquino’s bill, Section 24 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 will be amended by adjusting the levels of net taxable income and simplifying the nominal tax rates in computing individual income tax, based on current prices.

“The Tax Reform Act effectively lowers the taxes on the Filipino working class, allowing them to enjoy a higher net income and increasing their purchasing power,” Aquino said.

The senator also assured that the bill would not impose a burden on the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that comprise a majority of employers in the Philippines.

With a just tax system, Aquino believes that it will encourage citizens to declare their true income and pay their taxes.

“It also supports the government’s push for inclusive growth while ensuring that government is still able to raise funds for social programs that directly benefit the poor,” Aquino said.  “It is a win-win solution that offers the greatest benefit to the greatest number of Filipinos.”

Aquino added that the bill also adjusts the tax level of the upper one percent (1%) of taxpayers, making sure that the government is able to collect a larger share of income from those who can afford to pay more.

Sen. Bam to DTI: Look into Overpricing of Construction Materials in Yolanda-hit Areas

Senator Bam Aquino has called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to intensify monitoring on cost of construction materials in Eastern Visayas after receiving reports of overpricing in areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda.

“The DTI should double its monitoring efforts because some unscrupulous businessmen are taking advantage of the situation in Tacloban and nearby areas,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“We should punish these merciless traders for preying on our countrymen who have already suffered much because of the typhoon,” he added.

Aquino said traders should not use supply as issue with routes already passable and shipping operations now back to normal.

“The super typhoon happened four months ago. Delivery delays cannot be used as reason since all the routes going to Tacloban and other areas have opened,” Aquino said.

Aquino received reports from concerned citizens in Tacloban and nearby areas that some hardware stores sell ¼-inch plywood between P370 to P400, from its previous price of P290 to P300.

“From its old price of P550 per cubic meter, sand is being sold at P800 per cubic meter while gravel is now at P1,350 per cubic meter, P400 higher than its previous cost,” the senator said.

Aquino also revealed that price of hollow blocks doubled from P9 to P18 while ply board is now P965, from P845 to P900.

The senator said Portland cement, which usually costs around P222, now sells at P235, tie wire at P1,475 from P1,190 and 10-millimeter steel bar at P130 from P123.

“Even those hardware stores from nearby areas which were not affected by the typhoon also sell overpriced construction materials,” Aquino said.

The senator added that Tacloban residents opt to travel more than 100 kilometers to Ormoc City where construction materials are cheaper.

 

Photo source: Rappler.com

Sen. Bam Pushes for Urban Poor Protection

In line with “Urban Poor Solidarity Week”, Senator Bam Aquino welcomes members of the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), led by president Celia Santos, to the Senate.  One of Senator Aquino’s bills is Senate Bill No. 1874, which aims to strengthen Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act, to ensure that the urban poor are protected against unjust evictions and demolitions.

In celebration of the “Urban Poor Solidarity Week”, Senator Bam Aquino renews his call for the passage of his measure that will protect the urban poor against harsh evictions and the unjust demolition of their homes.

Aquino’s Senate Bill No. 1874 aims to strengthen Republic Act No. 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA), to ensure the protection of the rights of the urban poor sector under the 1987 Constitution.

“With this measure, the urban poor will be protected against unjust evictions and demolitions,” Sen. Bam emphasized.

The bill calls for the fulfillment of all requirements under Section 28 of RA 7279 before an eviction or demolition can be effected.

“If relocation is needed, housing beneficiaries should be relocated near their former homes, where they have access not only to basic services but also to jobs and livelihood that will give them the means to raise themselves and their families out of poverty,” the senator said.

Aquino believes that the bill will help the Philippine government in its push for inclusive growth.

Aside from this, the bill also provides that consultation must be effectively done with the active participation of affected communities, particularly in the identification and approval of relocation sites.

Sen. Bam eyes active role of LDCs in disaster preparedness

Senator Bam Aquino calls on Local Development Councils (LDC) to maintain a more active role in disaster and calamity preparedness.

Aquino said LDCs will play a crucial role in disaster preparedness, as they involve not only local government units but also people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector.

“LDCs should be strengthened and made more active because they are one of the keys in the disaster preparedness of a community. Community needs will be better diagnosed and addressed if different sectors converge and discuss more regularly,”said Sen. Aquino.

Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code mandates each local government to have a LDC at the provincial, city, municipal, or barangay level.

However, Sen. Aquino discovered that many LDCs do not meet regularly, minimizing the participation of non-government, people’s organizations, and the private sector in planning, local governance, and disaster preparedness.

To resolve this, Sen. Aquino has filed Senate Bill No. 1843 to ensure that LDCs will have an active role and make NGOs and POs active partners in the pursuit of socio-economic welfare in the local autonomy.

The bill mandates LDCs to convene at least four times in a year, preferably every March, June, September, and December.

The leagues of LGUs are further mandated to monitor such meetings through the Oversight Committee on Local Government.

The measure also seeks to provide punitive actions to local executives who fail to execute such laws.

The bill calls for a 30-day suspension for the first violation. Subsequent violations will be slapped a 90-day suspension.

Photo source: www.nydailynews.com

Abolish PDAF already — Sen. Bam

Senator Bam Aquino urges fellow lawmakers to already move for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), citing other senators who have officially supported the move

For his part, Sen. Aquino suspended his office’s use of their PDAF allocation as early as August 17, 2013 and publicly called for its abolition on August 23, 2013

Later, Sen. Aquino wrote Senate President Franklin Drilon on September 4, 2013, relaying his decision to forego the PDAF of his office for 2013

“This is to respectfully inform you that our office shall not endorse/identify any projects for funding under the PDAF as provided under the General Appropriations Act of 2013,” Aquino said in his letter to Drilon.

Aquino also requested Drilon to declare his allocation of P100 million be declared as savings and reverted to the National Treasury.

In addition, Aquino also wrote Sen. Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, to inform him of his decision to forego his PDAF for 2014.

In his letter to Sen. Escudero dated November 5, 2013 Sen. Aquino wrote to “relinquish and waive the allocated Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), without any reservations.”

“In foregoing my PDAF allocation from the proposed Php 2.268-trillion 2014 National Budget, the amount of Two Hundred Million Pesos (Php 200,000,000.00) shall therefore be deducted from item XLV Section 1 of the proposed National Expenditure Program for 2014. The said amount shall likewise be deducted from the total budget reflected in the proposed 2014 General Appropriations bill,” the letter states.

Sen. Bam to Gov’t Agencies: Work Together to Save Children’s Hospital

Senator Bam Aquino has filed a resolution “urging” government agencies “to work collaboratively” to quickly resolve the land ownership issue of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) and “focus on treating children.”

Senate Resolution No. 66 “[expresses] the sense of the Senate urging the appropriate agencies to work collaboratively in the immediate resolution of the issue of ownership of the land currently occupied by the Philippine Children Medical Center with the end view of protecting the basic right of children to health services.”

The PCMC recently faced possible “eviction” by the National Housing Authority (NHA), which currently owns the 3.4-hectare property on which the PCMC stands. According to reports, the PCMC treats over 60,000 patients annually, most of whom are children from poor families.

Sen. Aquino said, “Hindi na dapat pinoproblema ng ating mga government hospitals kung mae-evict sila o hindi. Ang dapat na pinoproblema nila ay ‘yung mga pangangailangan ng mga pasyente. In the case of the PCMC, ang kapakanan ng mga batang tinutulungan nila ang dapat nilang tinututukan.”

“The resolution urges the different agencies to talk and settle the issue already. Hindi talaga maganda na ang isang ahenisya ng gobyerno ay pinapaalis ng isa pang ahensiya ng gobyerno—in this case, ospital pa ng mga bata,” Sen. Aquino reiterated.

The lawmaker also said that he was willing to help push for “long-term solutions” to the land ownership problem of public hospitals and public schools, through Senate hearings or through legislation.

“In the meantime, be assured that there will be no eviction happening to the PCMC,”Sen. Aquino announced.

Bam Expects Napoles to Tell All

Sen. Bam Aquino is confident that Janet Lim Napoles, who has been implicated in the P10 billion “pork barrel scam”, will tell all following her surrender to President Benigno Aquino III late Wednesday night.

“Now that Napoles has surrendered, she can reveal who else is involved while the DOJ and the Ombudsman are reviewing the evidence in order to determine who should be charged,” Sen. Aquino said in Filipino during a live television interview.

“Kapag kumanta na si Napoles (Once Napoles tells all), the investigation of the DOJ and Ombudsman will reveal more evidence,” the senator added. This, Aquino believes, will make it easier for the case to be resolved.

Meanwhile, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, headed by Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, is conducting its own investigation and intends to summon Napoles and the other whistleblowers of the case.

“It’s incumbent upon the officials na hulihin talaga kung sino ang mga sangkot sa krimeng ito (to punish all those who are accountable for these crimes),” Aquino asserted “The government must do everything that it can to prosecute all those responsible for this, to reform a system that has long been corrupted.”

The senator added that all 24 senators have already agreed to abolish the PDAF, following public clamor for the same.

Bam Files “People’s Fund Bill”

In light of his earlier pronouncements regarding the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the need to give taxpayers greater control over public funds, Senator Bam Aquino has filed the People’s Fund Bill.

The People’s Fund Bill creates mechanisms for an individual taxpayer to allocate five percent (5%) of his or her income tax for any of the following: (1) an accredited charity or civil society organization; (2) a priority national or local government project; or (3) a legitimate political party.

Under this bill, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) shall establish the mechanism that would enable individual taxpayers to select beneficiaries upon filing of their annual income tax returns.

Meanwhile, an inter-agency committee led by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall determine the eligibility of respective organizations, and shall likewise set the conditions, guidelines, and reporting requirements for the receipt and use of the funds by the benefitting organizations.

“The people’s clamor for transparency, accountability, and good governance is growing louder and stronger. Government must heed the call of the people and institutionalize mechanisms that will ensure greater citizen involvement on how public funds are being spent,” Aquino stresses.

“To be clear, hindi ito bagong buwis na ipapataw sa mga tao.  Ang People’s Fund ay manggagaling sa binabayad na ng mamamayan na tax kada taon.  Ang pinag-iba lang ay merong kapangyarihan ang mga taxpayer na piliin kung saan pupunta ang porsyento ng perang ito.  Ginagawa na ito sa ibang mga bansa; panahon na, na gawin ito sa Pilipinas.”

“After all,” Aquino continues, “our estimate of the People’s Fund is around ten billion pesos.  Mas maliit pa rin sa papalitan niyang PDAF natwenty-five billion pesos.  Sa kadulu-dulahan, nakatipid pa rin ang gobyerno ng malaking halaga na ngayo’y napupunta sa pork barrel.”

Photo source: Christina Mendez

Bam Lauds PNoy Call to Abolish Pork

 

Senator Bam Aquino lauds President Benigno Aquino III’s statement calling for the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), otherwise known as the “pork barrel,” saying this is a necessary first-step to urgent reforms.

“Tayo po ay natutuwa dahil pinakinggan ni PNoy ang hiling ng taumbayan. Panahon na talaga upang buwagin ‘yang PDAF.”

Earlier on Friday, Sen. Aquino called for the abolition of the PDAF and proposed in its stead a “People’s Fund.”

The People’s Fund is meant to “give the Filipino people greater control over where and how public funds are spent.”

“We’ve already taken a lot of steps toward good governance, but now it’s time to overhaul system that’s been corrupted,” the younger Aquino says. “Abolishing the PDAF and instituting reforms is yet another step in transforming governance and keeping the path to tuwid na daan. There’s no better time for it than now.”
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