Issues

Bam hopes Duterte’s SONA includes plans for employment, poverty reduction

Apart from his intensified campaign against illegal drugs, President Duterte can lay down a clear plan on how he will address the country’s other pressing problems, such as employment, education and poverty reduction, in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25.

“President Duterte can discuss important topics that matter to the lives of Filipinos like education, employment and poverty reduction,” replied Sen. Bam when asked in a television interview about his wish list of issues that should be discussed by Duterte in his SONA.

“He can talk about the West Philippine Sea issue as well. These are things, I think that people will be very interested in,” added Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“We need to ensure that prices are stable and more importantly, that Filipino families have the wherewithal to address their most basic needs.”

In the recent Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan survey conducted from July 2 to 8, Filipinos want the new Duterte administration to prioritize three economic issues.

These are increase in prices of goods (68 percent), creation of jobs (56 percent) and implementation of pro-poor initiatives (55 percent). Around 48 percent of Filipinos mentioned fighting criminality as the fourth most pressing concern.

In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam has filed several measures that will help end contractualization in the labor sector, provide free college education, and boost the government’s poverty reduction program. 

Sen. Bam Aquino filed Senate Bill No. 174 or the End Endo Act that seeks to eliminate the unjust “Endo” (end contract) practice in the country.

The measure will put a stop to fixed term employment or hiring of workers based on a limited and fixed period without regularization so more Filipinos are assured of job security and steady compensation.

The senator also filed Senate Bill No. 177 that pushes for free tertiary education in all State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for all students.

He also filed the Trabaho Center in Schools Bill (Senate Bill No. 170) and the Abot Alam Bill (Senate Bill No. 171).

In his Trabaho Center in Schools Bill, Sen. Bam wants to create a job placement office or Trabaho Center to assist Senior High School graduates who opt to find employment and help them find those opportunities.

The Abot Alam Bill will create a comprehensive national framework designed to achieve the government’s aim to provide education for each and every Filipino, particularly out-of-school youth (OSY).

The bill seeks to institutionalize the highly successful Abot Alam convergence program led by the Department of Education and National Youth Commission.

Bam: Cha-cha must examine other important aspects of 1987 Constitution

CEBU CITY — Sen. Bam Aquino prefers constitutional convention (con-con) as means to amend the 1987 Constitution, adding the action must be a “genuine process” where other important provisions of the Charter will be thoroughly examined, in addition to federalism.

 “Sang-ayon po ako sa constitutional convention. I’m open to federalism pero kapag binukas kasi natin ang Constitution, hindi lang po iyan puwede for one aspect. Lahat po ng aspeto, kailangang suriin,” said Sen. Bam during a radio interview here.

 He added, “Once we open up the con-con, sana po it goes through a genuine process of assessment kasi 30 years na rin po ang ating Constitution. How do we update our Constitution? Ano ang pinaka-akma na sistema at istruktura sa ating bansa in the 21st century?”

 Sen. Bam believes the Charter’s economic provisions, term limits to local officials, among others already mentioned, need to be revisited, reviewed and updated to be attuned to the present situation.

 “I think ang three-year term ng local officials natin, masyado pong maikli. As we know, most of the reforms na kailangan ng bansa, takes six to ten years,” he explained.

 In the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam said congressmen also tried to introduce amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution but it didn’t take off.

 A constitutional convention is a process where the people elect delegates, who will study proposals to amend or revise the Charter. The amendments drafted by the delegates must be approved by the people in a referendum.

 While he is open to a shift to federal form of government, Sen. Bam said some local officials have recently expressed apprehensions over the move.

 “Pagdating po sa federalism, bukas po tayo diyan pero iyong ibang governors na nakausap ko, marami rin silang tanong,” said Sen. Bam.

 “Another basic question is, how much will it cost? Will this mean new taxes? Will it mean new bureaucracy kasi kung magkaka-regional governments tayo, parang may next layer na naman tayo ng burukrasya,” he added.

 However, Sen. Bam trusts that the upcoming House and Senate leadership will allow the process to move properly.

 “Itong lahat po, pag-uusapan, hihimayin, dadaan sa proseso ng pag-uusap. I’m hoping lang na di po iyan magtagal ng 3 or 4 years. Sana po maybe 1 year o 1 year and a half, tapos na po iyong proseso,” said Sen. Bam.

Bam: Include PH delegation to Hague in bilateral talks with China

Sen. Bam Aquino on the PLDT, Globe anti-trust issue

It’s unfortunate that a legal battle has ensued even before the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has made a decision. Now we wait for the proper judicial process to take its course.

Ultimately, the landmark Philippine Competition Act was created to benefit our citizens. In the end, we need to make sure that Filipino consumers have access to improved internet services.

Bam on the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration

Congratulations to the Philippine delegation that worked on our case and all our countrymen who stood by our claim over the West Philippine Sea!

 Hindi madaling makipagtunggali sa bansang mas malaki at mas malakas sa atin, ngunit kailangang maging matapang.

 This decision provides the best chance for the Philippines to have a favorable outcome in any future multilateral or bilateral talks. Alas natin ‘to!

 The international tribunal has backed our claim and it’s clear that China must comply as a member of the community of nations.

 

Bam: Strengthen juvenile delinquency facilities

Instead of lowering age of criminal liability to nine years old, a senator urges the government to focus on strengthening the country’s juvenile centers to make it more effective in rehabilitating youth offenders.

 “Bakit hindi na lang palakasin ang Juvenile Delinquency Facility. Pondohan po natin, siguraduhin na kaya talagang ma­rehabilitate yung mga bata,” said Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Youth, in a radio interview.

 In fact, Sen. Bam pointed out that one of the best juvenile facilities in the country is in Davao City, where President Duterte was a former mayor.

 “Kung tutuusin, mayroon namang pong track record ang ibang mga facility na may kakayahan silang mag-rehabilitate. May mga na-meet na po tayong mga batang kalye na na-rehabilitate, lumabas, bumalik sa eskwelahan, nakapag-graduate, nag-aaral at ngayo’y nagtatrabaho,” the senator stressed.

 Sen. Bam issued the pronouncement in response to Cong. Pantaleon Alvarez’s position that his bill lowering the age of criminal liability to nine years old is focused on rehabilitation and not punishment.

 “Masyado po yang marahas. Palagay ko, kapag kapanahunan ng debate, puwede namang maghanap ng compromise o maghanap ng paraan na hindi maperwisyo ang mga bata pero iyong goal na maging mas malakas tayo sa paglaban sa krimen, ma­achieve pa rin natin,” he said.

 Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, if a child taken into custody is fifteen (15) years old or below, the child can be either released to its parents or be referred to a youth care facility or “Bahay Pag-asa”.

 A child who is above twelve (12) years of age up to fifteen (15) years of age and who commits specific crimes shall be deemed a neglected child under Presidential Decree No. 603, as amended, and shall be mandatorily placed in a special facility within the youth care facility or ‘Bahay Pag-asa’ called the Intensive Juvenile Intervention and Support Center (IJISC).

 These crimes are parricide, murder, infanticide, kidnapping and serious illegal detention where the victim is killed or raped, robbery, with homicide or rape, destructive arson, rape, or carnapping where the driver or occupant is killed or raped or offenses under Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) punishable by more than twelve (12) years of imprisonment.

 

Bam on appointment of VP Leni Robredo as HUDCC chairperson

We welcome President Duterte’s appointment of Vice President Leni Robredo as HUDCC chairperson.

 Ang posisyong ito ay akma sa malawak na karanasan ni VP Robredo sa pagtatrabaho kasama ang mahihirap, lalo na iyong walang masisilungan.

 Umaasa tayo na ang pagtalaga kay VP Robredo sa isang mahalagang posisyon sa pamahalaan ay hudyat ng umpisa ng matibay na ugnayan at pagtutulungan ng dalawang pinakamataas na lider ng bansa para sa kapakanan ng mahihirap.

 It is our honest desire to serve fellow Filipinos, specially the poorest of our countrymen, that will drive the Philippines forward and allow us to shed our personal alliances and interests.

 
Sen. Bam was VP Leni Robredo’s campaign manager in the 2016 elections

Bam on bills lowering age of criminal liability and revival of death penalty

Kapag hinayaan nating makalusot ang dalawang panukalang ito, pati mga batang siyam na taong gulang ay kandidato na rin sa bitay.  Ito ba ang Pilipinas na ating ninanais?

 Excerpts from Sen. Bam’s television interview re: two bills

 To give full criminal liability to nine years old, masyadong marahas po iyon at baka hindi rin po iyon akma sa development ng isang tao. 

If you put the two bills that Davao del Norte First District Representative Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez  filed together, iyong pagbalik ng death penalty tsaka pagbaba ng age to nine years old, mayroon tayong sitwasyon na baka nine years old, binibigyan mo ng life imprisonment o binibigyan mo ng death penalty.

 I don’t know kung na-realize iyan ng mga proponents ng batas na ito but there could be a case, ginawang courier ng isang drug lord o drug pusher ang isang bata tapos nahuli.

 Ang batang iyan can actually get life imprisonment or death penalty. Handa ba ang Pilipinas na pumatay ng nine years old na nasangkot sa ganoong klaseng pangyayari?  I don’t think that’s what we want to do, na pumatay tayo ng mga bata.

Bam wants lower income tax, VAT exemption for small businesses

To further stimulate the growth of small businesses in the country, Sen. Bam Aquino is pushing for a measure that provides them with lower income tax rate, VAT exemption and other privileges.

Under Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 169 or the Small Business Tax Reform Act, all small businesses shall be exempt from payment of income tax for the first three years of its operation from date of establishment and will be subjected to lower income tax rates thereafter.

 As defined in the bill, small businesses are micro and small enterprises whose annual gross revenue does not exceed P50,000,000.

“This bill also proposes the lowering of the income tax rate for MSEs and an exemption from VAT, among other methods of stimulating growth in MSEs as opposed to hindering it,” said Sen. Bam.

 The measure also pushes for simpler bookkeeping, a special lane and assistance desk for MSEs, exemption from tax audit, annual filing of returns, and payment in installment.

 Sen. Bam stressed the need for a simpler taxation, saying a joint study by PWC and the World Bank, Paying Taxes 2016, placed the Philippines 126th 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,” said Sen. Bam.

 By streamlining the country’s tax system, it will boost the chances of our local enterprises to succeed and, in turn, generate prosperity and livelihood for more and more Filipino families.

Bam: Over 250 Negosyo Centers, Youth Entrepreneurship Act to help solve unemployment

Sen. Bam Aquino believes two of his laws in the 16th Congress — the Go Negosyo Act and the Youth Entrepreneurship Act – will help address the unemployment problem in the country through the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

 “These two laws are aimed at generating fresh jobs and other livelihood opportunities by providing MSMEs with the right support to help them grow,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

 “By giving MSMEs a conducive environment where they can succeed, confident that they can help generate fresh jobs and other livelihood opportunities for Filipinos,” he added.

 Trade Secretary Mon Lopez, for his part, said the agency will be giving an extra push in creating more entrepreneurs and registering more enterprises that will employ more Filipinos.

 The DTI will also focus on helping MSMEs on many aspects, in terms of money and market access, according to Lopez.

 Sen. Bam was the author and principal sponsor of the Go Negosyo Act (Republic Act 10667), his first law in the 16th Congress, and the co-author and principal sponsor of the Youth Entrepreneurship Act (Republic Act No. 10679).

 Sen. Bam’s pronouncement came after a Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that some 11 million adults were without work in the first quarter of 2016, about two million more than the previous quarter.

 The SWS first quarter poll pegged the joblessness rate at 23.9 percent, compared to 2015’s fourth quarter rate of 21.4 percent or equivalent to 9.1 million adults unemployed. It was also the highest since 2014’s fourth quarter rate of 27 percent.

 At present, Sen. Bam said 252 Negosyo Centers are already up and running, catering to the needs of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in different parts of the country.

 The Youth Entrepreneurship Act, for its part, encourages young would-be entrepreneurs to establish their own business by providing them access to capital and other support.

 The law creates financial literacy modules in all levels of Philippine education, to inculcate a culture of enterprise development among the Filipino youth.

 Aside from the Go Negosyo Act and the Youth Entrepreneurship Act, Sen. Bam also worked for the passage of other MSME-related laws such as Philippine Competition Act, Microfinance NGOs Act, Credit Surety Act and the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act or Amendments to the Cabotage Policy.

 In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam has already filed the Senate Bill No. 169 or Small Business Tax Reform Act, which provides small businesses with lower income tax rate, VAT exemption and other privileges.

 Sen. Bam has also submitted Senate Bill No. 170 or Trabaho Center in Schools Bill to create a job placement office or Trabaho Center to assist Senior High School graduates who opt to find employment and help them find those opportunities.

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