Speeches

Privilege Speech: Accepting Pope Francis’ Challenge

Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV

16th Congress, Senate of the Philippines

Privilege Speech, 26 January 2015

 

Accepting Pope Francis’ Challenge

 

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, mga kaibigan, mga kababayan. I rise today on a matter of personal and collective privilege, with an inspired spirit and renewed energy, to build a better Philippines hand-in-hand with every Filipino.

It has been one week since His Holiness Pope Francis left our humbled shores after spending five blessed days in our country.  During this time, Pope Francis captivated the nation and inspired the people with his charming smile and gestures of gratitude, humility and empathy. People are clearly inspired.

Mr. President, thousands of Filipinos lined his path, with some going to great lengths and enormous sacrifices just to simply catch a glimpse of the Holy Father. Libu-libong mga pamilyang Pilipino / ang naghintay nang ilang oras upang makilahok sa mga events ni Pope Francis[1].

 Kabilang na riyan si Mang Antolin Adlawan. Sa kabila ng kanyang edad na animnapu’t anim na taon ay naglakad siya ng tatlumpu’t anim na araw patungong Tacloban para lang makadalo sa misa ng Santo Papa[2].

Sa misa sa Luneta, anim na milyong Pilipino ang dumalo sa gitna nang malakas na ulan, sama-samang nakinig sa mensahe ng Santo Papa at nagdasal para sa ating mga pamilya at buong bayan[3].

 Undeniably, Pope Francis has given many of us the precious gift of inspiration, through his words and his being. The challenge for us now is to turn Pope Francis’ messages into action and make his calls into reality that will benefit our countrymen, especially the poor and marginalized.

 

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Mr. President, I’d like to highlight three themes from his life and advocacy that we can emulate and translate in our own lives and to our own work as well – and these are a life of simplicity, a heart of inclusiveness, and a renewed vigor to ensure the dignity of the poor.

 

A Life of Simplicity

Kilala si Jorge Mario Bergoglio sa kanyang simpleng pamumuhay, kahit noong siya pa ay ang Arsobispo ng Buenos Aires sa Argentina.

Sumasakay lamang siya ng bus at di gumagamit ng mamahaling sasakyan sa pang-araw-araw. Nakatira siya sa isang maliit na apartment na puwede namang mas magarbo ang kanyang tahanan dahil isa siyang arsobispo.

Nang mahirang bilang Santo Papa, pinili niya ang pangalang Francis bilang pagbibigay pugay kay St. Francis of Assisi, na santo ng mahihirap at nangangailangan.

When Pope Francis addressed the Roman Curia last December, he talked about a “disease of hoarding[4],” and even said: “Accumulating goods only burdens and inexorably slows down the journey!”

His call for a simple and plain lifestyle is indeed an example for all of us to look at our own lives and appreciate the things and the blessings that we have had.

 

The challenge for us, public servants and leaders is to “uphold the public interest over and above personal interest,” and to “lead modest lives appropriate to their positions… not [to] indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form[5].”  These phrases are from RA 6713.

 

President Aquino’s leadership emphasized the eradication of the wang-wang culture, “the image of blaring, much-abused sirens, to symbolize all things corrupt and crooked in Philippine politics.”

 

The call for simplicity is not for simplicity sake. Rather, it is a challenge for our leaders not to be separate from those that they serve. The call for simplicity must go beyond the superficial and symbolic. It is a mindset, which roots leaders with the people they serve.  It is a constant reminder for empathy – to feel what most feel, so that the decisions we make will always be for the many and not the few.

 

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A Heart of Inclusiveness

Secondly, the Pope calls for us to be inclusive and, as he instructed cardinals last year, “to fight any discrimination[6].”

 

Mr. President, during Maundy Thursday of last year, Pope Francis broke tradition when he washed and kissed the feet of 12 persons with disability for the Washing of the Feet ritual[7]. Several of them were women and another man, was a Muslim.

 

Pope Francis reminds us that we live in a world that is as diverse as it is magnificent; and that though Filipinos have differing beliefs and varying perspectives, we are united by our dream to build this country.

 

Kung naaalala po ninyo ang sinabi niya sa mga kabataang Pilipino sa UST, “women have much to tell us in today’s society[8].” Sa mata ng Santo Papa, maging ano pa ang iyong kasarian, relihiyon at estado sa buhay, dapat pantay ang pagtrato at may boses sa lipunan ang lahat.

 

Our colonial past and rich history, where our Malay roots have been mixed with Chinese, Spanish, American, and even Indian and Mediterranean decent, have made our culture into a melting pot of diverse ways, values and norms.

 

Add the fact that a tenth of Pinoys are living and working abroad, we, Filipinos, are a truly global, genuinely accepting and accommodating people.

 

Thus, we call on all Filipinos today to go back to who we are, and further create a kinder and gentler nation – a more forgiving and compassionate people that care for each and every Filipino, regardless of their ethnicity, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, civil status, age or medical condition.

 

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A Renewed Vigor to Ensure the Dignity of the Poor

Lastly, Mr. President, the Holy Father emphasized his call to be at the forefront of eradicating poverty, to be at the peripheries, to be at the margins of development. He has challenged us to re-examine our Christian faith and lifestyle.

 

Even before he was Pope, he pushed for jobs and enterprises with his work in the slums of Argentina. The real Buneos Aires was a far cry from the beauty that we see in movies. The city slums, known as villas of misery, are so savage that even ambulances and police have refused to enter[9].

 

Among the Pope’s parishioners were unemployed and hungry. Teenage pregnancies were rampant while drug users and criminals roamed the villas[10].

 

As Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, Padre Bergolio then worked to revive and invigorate the Catholic movement in the villas. From a few priests, he doubled the number of priests in the area. His parishes started programs to rehabilitate and uplift the poor of Buneos Aires.

 

They built a recovery center for drug addicts, a high school and a technical vocational school, farms where addicts worked and lived, a home for the elderly and children, and a community radio and newspaper[11] to give the people in the margins a voice.

 

One of the Jesuit charisms is “to go where there is the greatest need[12]” – to be at the frontiers of development, to be with the most vulnerable and suffering. This is the call that we must heed – helping our countrymen means going beyond the common understanding of charity.  It is restoring the dignity of the poor and providing the opportunity of earning for themselves and their families.

 

Mr. President, in solidarity with the Pope’s call to build a Church of the poor and for the poor, we must ensure that the Philippine government is a government completely and utterly focused on fighting poverty and providing opportunities for our countrymen.

 

We need to ensure that as we establish the K-12 system in our basic education, our young Filipinos will have the right knowledge, skills and attitudes that will make them competitive in the job market not only in the country, but in the ASEAN region and in the world as well.

 

It is our fervent hope that the families under the 4Ps program will graduate from just being beneficiaries.  And that the Sustainable Livelihood Program will be given more emphasis as our countrymen strive to overcome poverty.

 

Let us help in organizing our farmers and fisherfolk, provide the right technical assistance and access to capital, link them to proper markets, and help them break free from the cycle of poverty.

 

In addition, we must also be able to support institutions / that help our poor communities as well – microfinance organizations, cooperatives, social enterprises, and inclusive businesses.

 

The call is to make our dream for our people to be able to stand on their own feet, provide food for their families, send their children to school, and build lasting homes a reality.

 

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The Pope’s visit to the Philippines can remain a record-breaking event, a fond memory we cast to history, or we can turn it into something even more substantial.  All of us, together, have the power to make this year’s Papal Visit a major turning point for our country.

 

As we bid farewell to our cherished Pope Francis, let us reflect on how each of us can personally contribute to improving the lives of our fellow Filipinos. Each of us has a role to play. Each of us has the opportunity to make a difference. Each of us can be that agent of change.

 

Now, we have been blessed with both the instruction and the inspiration to do so. Concrete action and palpable change are the greatest gifts we can give Pope Francis.

 

Let’s make him proud.  At bigyan po natin siya ng panibagong dahilan upang bumalik sa Pilipinas!

 

Maraming salamat at magandang hapon sa ating lahat!

 

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[1] Lozada, David. 16 January 2015. Rappler.com. “Families Tell Tales of Sacrifice, Hope to Meet Pope Francis.” Accessed via http://www.rappler.com/specials/pope-francis-ph/stories/80997-family-sacrifice-meet-pope-francis last 21 January 2015.

[2] Alamar, Noel. 16 January 2015. ABS-CBN News. “This Man Walked for 36 Days just to See Pope in Tacloban.” Accessed via http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/01/16/15/man-walked-36-days-just-see-pope-tacloban last 21 January 2015.

[3] Hegina, Aries Joseph. 18 January 2015. Philippine Daily Inquirer. “MMDA: 6M Filipinos Attended Pope Francis’ Luneta Mass, Papal Route.” Accessed via http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/666218/mmda-6m-filipinos-attended-pope-francis-luneta-mass-papal-route last 21 January 2015.

[4] Address of His Holiness Pope Francis. “Presentation of the Christmas Greetings to the Roman Curia. 22 December 2014. Accessed via https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2014/december/documents/papa-francesco_20141222_curia-romana.html last 25 January 2015

[5] Civil Service Commission. Republic Act No. 6713: An Act Establishing A Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, to Uphold the Time-Honored Principle of Public Office being a Public Trust, Granting Incentives and Rewards for Exemplary Service, Enumerating Prohibited Acts and Transactions and Providing Penalties for Violations thereof and for other Purposes. Accessed via http://excell.csc.gov.ph/cscweb/RA6713.html last 25 January 2015.

[6] Gibson, David. 22 February 2014. Religion News Service. “Pope Francis Charges Cardinals to Oppose ‘Any Discrimination.” Accessed via http://www.religionnews.com/2014/02/22/pope-francis-creates-cardinals-appeals-peace-discrimination/ last 21 Janaury 2015.

[7] Davies, Lizzy. 17 April 2014. The Guardian. “Pope Francis Kisses Feet of Women and Muslim Man in Maundy Thursday Rite.” Accessed via http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/17/pope-francis-kisses-feet-women-muslim-maudy-thursday last 25 January 2015.

[8] Rappler.com 18 January 2015. “Where are the Women, Pope Francis Asks UST.” Accessed via http://www.rappler.com/specials/pope-francis-ph/81198-women-pope-francis-ust last 25 January 2015.

[9] Cohen, Haley. 20 March 2013. The Atlantic. “Slum Priests: Pope Francis’s Early Years.” Accessed via http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/slum-priests-pope-franciss-early-years/274201/ last 25 January 2015.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Allen, John, Jr. 7 April 2013. National Catholic Reporter. “Pope Francis Gets his ‘Oxygen’ from the Slums.” Accessed via http://ncronline.org/blogs/francis-chronicles/pope-francis-gets-his-oxygen-slums last 25 January 2015.

[12] Ciancimino, David, S.J. 2 October 2013. Raatior Ventures. “NY Jesuit Provincial’s Response Leaves more Questions than Answers.” Accessed via http://www.raatior.com/ny-jesuit-provincials-response-leaves-more-questions-than-answer/ last 25 January 2015.

Co-Sponsorship Speech of Sen. Bam Aquino on the Sangguniang Kabataan Reforms

Senate Bill No. 2401 under Committee Report No. 75
Otherwise known as the
Youth Development and Empowerment Act of 2014

Senator Paolo Benigno ‘Bam’ Aquino IV
16th Congress, Senate of the Philippines
Co-Sponsorship Speech, 29 October 2014

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, good afternoon.

It is my honor and privilege to stand before you today to support the development of our Filipino youth leaders and spur the next set of Filipino heroes, as I co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2401 under Committee Report No. 75  otherwise known as the Youth Development and Empowerment Act of 2014.

In a country where half of the population are 15-30 years old, it is our duty to provide  an enabling environment for the youth to be able to participate in building our nation.

The Filipino youth have the innate energy, creativity and innovative ideas to come up with new solutions to address the age-old problems of the country.

It is thus urgent to harness their full potential as a partner in the development of our country, to encourage their active participation in programs and projects of communities and engage them in transparent and accountable governance.

Ang kabataan ay hindi lang ang pag-asa sa kinabukasan ng ating bayan. May kakayahan na silang maging bahagi sa pagbabago ngayon at sa kasalukuyan.

Mr. President, para sa inyong kaalaman, ang title ng una kong panukala para sa bill na ito ay Ang Liga ng Bayaning Kabataan. 

Even though it was not carried in the amendments, we chose that title because we believe that the reforms for the Sangguniang Kabataan would develop more heroes among our Filipino youth, who are ready to sacrifice and give their time, talents and resources for the benefit of our countrymen.

Mr. President, my career as a public servant started in the youth movements, where I served as a member of the student council, which promoted volunteerism among our fellow students, and even at times, went to the streets to fight for the social issues of the day.

Noong ako po ay naging Chairman ng National Youth Commission noong 2002, binuo namin ang Ten Accomplished Youth Organization (TAYO) Awards na hanggang ngayon ay nagbibigay parangal sa pinakamagagaling na youth organizations sa bansa.

We recognize these youth groups that have made an impact all over the country through projects in education, health, livelihood and the like. 

Isa sa mga nanalo ay ang Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Inc. (GVSP) ng Cebu.  Natuklasan nila na isa sa bawat tatlong batang pipi’t bingi ang namomolestya sa kanilang lungsod. 

Kaya gumawa sila ng information campaign laban sa sexual abuse ng mga pipi’t bingi at kilalanin ang karapatan ng mga persons with disabilities.

Napansin naman ng Dire Husi Initiatives sa Cagayan de Oro ang mga batang lansangang naaadik sa rugby.

Kaya tinipon nila ang mga ito, pinakain, binigyan ng arts education at livelihood training para di na malulon sa droga at magkaroon ng mas magandang kinabukasan.

Ang huli kong halimbawa ay ang Hayag Youth Organization ng Ormoc City.  Tinuruan nilang lumangoy ang kabataan sa kanilang lugar at nagbigay sila ng iba pang water-disaster preparedness training bilang paghahanda sa mga sakuna.

Nang dumagsa ang Bagyong Yolanda, walang nalunod o naaksidente sa kanilang mga miyembro dahil sa kanilang training program.

Mr. President, the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Dire Husi Initiatives and Hayag Youth Organization are only three youth groups among thousands who have spent their time creating relevant and innovative projects that address different issues in their communities such as PWD abuse, drug addiction and disaster risk preparedness and management.

Admittedly, if we talk about the Sangguniang Kabataan, there seems to be a disconnect with the youth that I have mentioned, and the reality on the ground for a number of Sangguniang Kabataan.

But today, we have the opportunity to change this notion if we pass this measure – the 2014 Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Bill.

We want to create an enabling environment for more young people to serve and find the heroism in them and hence, we are pushing for the reforms found in this bill.

After much debate and discussion, we want to highlight three points which we feel would encourage more young people to participate and spur heroism.

These are: expanding the age limit, creating local youth development councils and lastly, ensuring more relevant programs and projects of the SK all over the country.

Expanding the Age Limit
Firstly, we are proposing to expand the age range from 15 to 30 years old, in accordance to Republic Act 8044 or the Youth in Nation Building Act of 1994, and to peg the age of officers between ages 18 to 24.

The reform in age range will enable a greater number of youth to participate and give officials more independence in their affairs, such as signing contracts, disbursing money, and making them more accountable for their actions.

Youth Organizations Participation: Local Youth Development Council
The second major reform that we are pushing for is the introduction of the Local Youth Development Council (LYDC), a council that will support the Sangguniang Kabataan and ensure the participation of more Filipino youth through youth organizations.

The LYDC will compose of representatives from the different youth organizations in the community – student councils, church and youth faith groups, youth-serving organizations, and community-based youth groups.

It aims to harmonize, broaden and strengthen all programs and initiatives of the local government and non-governmental organizations for the youth sector.

The LYDC will serve as guide and refuge for the Sangguniang Kabataan so that their programs and policies will be rooted in the needs of the various youth oganizations that are present in their communities.

Mr. President, ang mga lungsod ng Pasay, Naga at Cebu ay kasalukuyang may mga LYDC upang mahikayat ang kanilang mga kabataang makibahagi sa mga programa ng kanilang LGU.

Sa Pasay, bahagi ang kabataan sa cleanliness at peace and order programs, at sa mga livelihood projects ng lungsod.

Sa Naga naman, nagfocus sila sa paggawa ng training at seminar para sa pisikal, pang-akademiko, psychological, at values formation ng kabataan.

At sa Cebu, kasama ang kabataan sa pagtatayo ng mga dormitories para sa kanilang migrant youth na nag-aaral sa iba’t ibang unibersidad ng kanilang lungsod.

In my time as the Chair of the National Youth Commission, I saw that this is a proven structure that can not only develop our Sangguniang Kabataan to be better leaders, but ensure that their decisions, actions and priorities are in line with the needs of the youth in their area.

Relevant and Impactful Programs and Projects
Lastly, we are pushing for the enumeration of clear themes of the programs and projects that can be explored by the LYDC and the SK in formulating their Youth Development Plans, to weed out tokenistic projects for the sake of having programs for the youth.

These programs need to meet the goals of promoting meaningful youth participation in nation-building, sustainable youth development and empowerment, equitable access to quality education, environmental protection, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and resiliency, youth employment and livelihood, health and anti-drug abuse, gender sensitivity, capability building and sports development.

We hope that the bill will also clarify the relationships between the Sangguniang Kabataan, the National Youth Commission and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

By doing so, we ensure that the programs and policies that they will come up with will truly be relevant and impactful for the sector they are supposed to serve.

Developing the New Filipino Heroes
Mr. President, it is urgent and important that we reform the Sangguniang Kabataan, as a platform for engaging the youth in the grassroots level, and where the youth will be honed to become better and more effective public servants in the future.

It is now time to work on strengthening our leadership institutions, particularly youth development programs to form new leaders with technical and management competence, and are grounded on Filipino values.

Kung itataguyod po natin ang kapakanan ng kabataang Pilipino, mabibigyan natin sila ng pagkakataong / gamitin ang kanilang likas na pagiging malikhain at madiskarte / sa paggawa ng mga bagong proyekto at programa para sa ating bansa.

Professor Ambeth Ocampo, historian and youth advocate mentioned that our heroes where young when they changed the course of our country: “[Jose] Rizal published the Noli Me Tangere at 26, Juan Luna painted the Spolarium at 27, and [Andres] Bonifacio began the Revolution at 30… So if [we] think about it – our heroes are young.”

It is imperative that we provide an enabling environment for more young Filipinos to be the new heroes that our country needs.

Maraming salamat po at magandang hapon.

Mabuhay ang kabataang Pilipino!

Sponsorship Speech of Sen. Bam Aquino on PRESENT Bill

It is my honor and privilege to stand before you today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 2210 under Committee Report No. 24, otherwise known as the Poverty Reduction Through Social Enterprise or PRESENT bill

It is my honor and privilege to stand before you today to sponsor Senate Bill No. 2210 under Committee Report No. 24, otherwise known as the Poverty Reduction Through Social Enterprise or PRESENT bill.

The objective o f this measure is to empower our marginalized sectors and provide them with the proper infrastructure where they can get the right opportunities to grow and progress. We need to create an environment where they can stand on their own, and be able to fully participate in our economy and our society. These conditions are to be inclusive and fair, where individuals and communities are able to think o f new ways o f solving ever-growing complex problems of poverty and injustice.

Sa kabila po ng nababalitang economic growth, marami p a rin tayong kailangang gawin para maibahagi natin ang growth na ito sa ating mga kababayan. Tinatayang may 2.969 milyong Pilipino ang walang trabaho ngayong taon, at dagdag pa dito ang mga nagsipagtapos na mga estudyante noong nakaraang buwan sa mga walang trabaho. Paano nila masasabing umuunlad ang bansa samantalang makikipagbuno sila sa pagha- hanap ng trabaho upang makatulong lang sa kanilang mga pamilya? Paano nalin matu-tulungan ang aling maliliit na negosyanle, ang mga tindera sa palengke, ang mga may-ari ng sari-sari store, mga magsasaka at mangingisda upang mapalago ang kanilang kinikita upang lalong masustentuhan nila ang kanilang mga pamilya?

Kaya’t, mga kaibigan, kailangan ay patulay tayo sa ating pagtugon upang malagpasan po nalin ang ating mga pagsubok at kahinaan.

If we are to take on the challenge to join in the movement to decrease our poverty rate, bridge the big divide between the rich and the poor, and be able to spread the wealth to more Filipinos, there is a need for us to think of creative and innovative solutions to address inequality in our country.

Kailangang bigyan ng pantay-pantay na pagkakataon at access sa trabaho at kapital para umangat ang estado at quality of life ng lahat ng Pilipino.

Through the Poverty Reduction through Social Enterprise or PRESENT Act of 20 14, the existing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development (MSMED) Council, which is attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), shall be strengthened and expanded to become the National Enterprise Development Council or NEDC to effectively spur the growth

A social enterprise, or SE, is a social mission-driven organization that conducts economic activities o f providing goods and services directly related to its primary mission of improving the well-being of the poor and marginalized sectors. Ang pangunahing motibo ng mga Social Enterprise ay tulungan ang mga komunidad na masolusyonan ang kanilang deka-dekadang problema ng kahirapan gamit ang mga makabagong modelo sa pagnenegosyo at sa pagsugpo sa kahirapan.

The NEDC will develop and implement a comprehensive program that will progressively improve the lives and economic situation of the poor and the marginalized. It shall identify strategic economic subsectors with the potentials for growth, considering where the poor are concentrated so they can playa major role in their own development. In the process, it shall identify key SEs and resource institutions as partners in providing transactional and transformational services towards poverty reduction. SEs shall be developed as vehicles to ensure that the poor benefit the most from the sustainable subsector development.

DTI shall establish a center where it will implement policies, plans and programs that will promote social enterprise initiatives, and identify sources of financing for the social enterprise sector for enterprise incubation, start-up and expansion.

It will provide capacity building and sustain- ability programs, supported by a Social Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF).

It will also provide research and development services for poverty reduction and assistance for the market expansion of social enterprises in both domestic and foreign markets.

The bill encourages the establishment o f more social enterprises by promoting greater access to appropriate financing and insurance mechanisms, and providing greater participation in public procurement.

With this Act, we do not just aim to support one or two social enterprises but we wish to develop a social enterprise sector engaged in poverty reduction in our country.

Alam po ninyo, bago ako naging senador, ako ay naging isang social entrepreneur.

Sa programa po namin noon na “Hapinoy,” tinulungan namin ang mga nanay na may-ari ng mga sari-sari store na mapalaki ang kanilang negosyo.

Ang lokohan nga po nila, noong panahong iyon, ay hindi naman sa sari-sari store, kundi sara-sara store dahil sa mga balakid na naranasan nila sa pagnenegosyo.

Ngunit sa pamamagitan ng dagdag na training at mentoring, wastong pagpapautang at market linkage, dahan-dahang lumago ang kanilang mga negosyo.

At pagkatapos ng ilang taon, ang mga nanay na mismo ang siyang naging mga trainor ng aming mga programa. Sila mismo ang nagbahagi ng kanilang mga success stories para ma-inspire at matulungan ang ibang mga nanay.

Hindi lamang umunlad ang kanilang negosyo, nabigyan din sila ng kumpiyansa sa kanilang sarili, at sa kanilang pinaghirapan no kabuhayan.

Noong nakaraang linggo naman po, bumisita kami sa San Jose, Nueva Ecija para makipagkwentuhan sa Kalasag Farmers Producers Cooperative. Sila po ang ating mga magsasaka ng sibuyas doon sa Nueva Ecija.

Sa aming kwentuhan, nabanggit nila na dati raw, pana-panahon ang presyo ng kanilang sibuyas. Hindi pa sigurado kung may bibili ng kanilang ani. Kaya hirap na hirap silang iangat ang kanilang kabuhayan pati na rin ang kalagayan ng kanilang pamilya.

Ngunit nagbago ang kanilang buhay nang mai-ugnay sila sa isang malaking kumpanya dito sa Maynila na nangangailangan ng malaking order ng sibuyas.

Tinulungan po sila ng isang NGO na nagsilbing social enterprise. Ang pangalan po noon ay Catholic Relief Services na konektado po sa simbahan. lnorganisa po sila, tinuruan ng makabagong paraan ng pagsasaka, nabigyan ng access sa capital, at higit sa lahat, tinulungan silang magbenta ng kanilang mga produkto sa mas malaking merkado.

Lumaki po ang kanilang kita, nabigyan ng trabaho ang kanilang mga kapitbahay at nabigyan ng marangal na buhay ang kanilang pamilya.

Ngayon po, noong nagkuwentuhan kami noong isang araw, napag-aaral na raw nila ang kanilang mga anak hanggang college, napasemento na nila ang kanilang mga bahay at nakapaghuhulog na sila para mabayaran ang isang tricycle para sa kanilang pamilya. At siyempre, noong kami ay mag-aalisan na at magkokodakan na, naglabasan ang kanilang mga smart phone at tablet at kita namang may asenso na sila ngayon.

Ito po ang layunin ng PRESENT Act – na bumuo ng mas maraming organisasyong magpapatupad ng mga makabago at modernong solusyon na tutugon sa kahirapan.

Let us empower our poor communities and bring pride to themselves by helping them realize how integral they are in the inclusive growth goals of our country.

 

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