Bam Aquino Law

Sen. Bam: New Year’s resolution should be 100% implementation of free college

Sen. Bam Aquino is hoping for the complete implementation of the free college law in 2019, with students in public universities and colleges not having to spend a single centavo on tuition, miscellaneous and other mandatory fees.

 “Gawin sanang New Year’s resolution ang 100% compliance sa batas na Libreng Kolehiyo,” said Sen. Bam.

 “Siguraduhin natin na kahit kapos ang pamilya, makapagtatapos pa rin ng kolehiyo dahil libre na ang tuition, miscellaneous at iba pang mandatory fees sa public schools,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam orchestrated the passage of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act as principal sponsor in the Senate during his term as chairman of the Committee on Education.

Earlier, Sen. Bam received a commitment from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) that it will issue a memorandum prohibiting state universities and colleges (SUCs) from charging mandatory fees.

During the CHED’s budget hearing, Sen. Bam informed its officials that he received complaints from students that some SUCs still collect miscellaneous and other mandatory fees from students, despite the expressed prohibition under Republic Act 10931.

 Sen. Bam told CHED officials that the law should be properly implemented so that students and their families can enjoy its benefits, allowing them to cope with daily expenses amid the high prices of food and other goods.

 “Sa halip na gamiting pambayad sa gastusin sa paaaralan, mas maganda kung mapunta ito sa ibang pangangailangan ng pamilya, lalo na sa pagkain, damit at iba pang kailangan,” added Sen. Bam.

 Sen. Bam is also pushing for the full release of the budget for the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) program to student-beneficiaries in both public and private education institutions.

Sen. Bam: Free College is Rizal’s Legacy

Ang mahusay na pagpapatupad ng ating batas sa Libreng Kolehiyo ang pinakamakahulugang parangal kay Gat Jose Rizal.
 
Sa totoo lang po, ang isa sa mga naunang nangarap ng abot-kayang edukasyon tulad ng Libreng Kolehiyo para sa mga kabataang Pilipino ay si Jose Rizal.
 
Kalidad na edukasyon para mga Pilipino ang pangarap ni Crisostomo Ibarra sa Noli Me Tangere. “Paaralan ay siyang aklat na kinasusulatan ng hinaharap ng mga bayan. Ipakita ninyo sa amin ang paaralan ng isang bayan at sasabihin namin sa inyo kung ano ang bayang iyan.”
 
Ang pangarap ni Rizal dati nagkakatotoo na. Sa araw ni Gat Jose Rizal, bigyang buhay natin ang diwa ng ating pambansang bayani sa pagtiyak na kahit kapos ay makapagtatapos.

Sen. Bam to CHED: Release full budget for TES program

While he welcomes the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) release of around P4.8 billion for its Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) program, Sen. Bam Aquino said the allocated budget for its full implementation should be distributed immediately to student-beneficiaries in both public and private education institutions.

“I welcome the release of the said amount as it proves the administration’s commitment to implement the program under the law,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which he pushed during his term as chairman of the Committee on Education.

The CHED recently announced the release of P4.8 billion for the TES program under the free higher education law to students in 112 state universities and colleges (SUCs) and 78 local universities and colleges (LUCs).

However, Sen. Bam stressed that the remaining P11.2 billion fund allocated for the TES in the 2018 budget should also be released immediately for the benefit of students under the program.

“Siguraduhin natin na ang buong budget na nakalaan para sa TES ay mailabas sa lalong madaling panahon, kasama na rito ang mga scholarship para sa mga estudyante ng private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs),” added Sen. Bam.

Recently, Sen. Bam convinced the CHED to issue a memorandum prohibiting state universities and colleges (SUCs) from charging mandatory fees.

During the CHED’s budget hearing, Sen. Bam informed the department that several SUCs still collect miscellaneous and other mandatory fees from students, despite the expressed prohibition under Republic Act 10931.

“Sana gawin nating New Year’s resolution ang 100 porsiyentong pagpapatupad ng libreng kolehiyo sa lahat ng state university at college. Dapat hindi na maningil ang SUC ng tuition at mandatory fees sa mga estudyante ngayong 2019,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam to youth: Libre mangarap, libre na rin mag-kolehiyo!

Sen. Bam Aquino expressed concern over a report that 70 percent of Filipino youths don’t have a dream, urging them to continue hoping and working for a better future.
 
“Libre ang mangarap at, ngayon, libre pa ang kolehiyo,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
 
“Nakakalungkot ang resultang ito lalo na dahil source of inspiration ko ang kabataang Pilipino,” added Sen. Bam, referring to a study by Dream Project PH showing that seven out of 10 Filipino youths don’t have a dream in life.
 
Sen. Bam said the free college law empowers Filipinos to make their dreams come true, as it opens opportunities to better jobs and a better life through education.
 
“Ngayong libre na ang kolehiyo, bukas na ang oportunidad para sa kabataang Pilipino na magkaroon ng magandang kinabukasan,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Passed during Sen. Bam’s time as chairman of the Committee on Education, the law provides free tuition and miscellaneous fees to students in state universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs) and TESDA-run vocational schools. 
 
The law allows students of both public and private college and universities can also apply for scholarship grants and student loans.
 
“Sa batas na ito, hindi hadlang ang kahirapan para maabot ang pangarap. Kahit kapos, siguradong makapagtatapos,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Recently, Sen. Bam got a commitment from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) that it will fully implement the law, especially when it comes to miscellaneous and mandatory fees.
 
During the CHED budget hearing, CHED chairman Prospero de Vera told Sen. Bam that he will issue a draft memorandum that will clarify and warn SUCs that students should not pay a single centavo to enroll in an SUC, LUC or TESDA-run TVIs.

CHED commits to Sen. Bam 100% compliance to Free College Law

Thanks to Sen. Bam Aquino’s prodding, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will soon issue a memorandum prohibiting state universities and colleges (SUCs) from charging mandatory fees.
 
“Sa batas natin, bawal nang mangolekta ng mandatory fees ang mga SUC. Dapat ituloy ang laban para sa 100 percent compliance ng mga kolehiyo,” said Sen. Bam during the CHED’s budget hearing.
 
During interpellation of the CHED budget, Sen. Bam expressed his concern that a few SUCs may still collect miscellaneous and other mandatory fees from students, despite the expressed prohibition under Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
 
“Sa pag-iikot natin sa mga SUC, nalalaman naming may balak pa ang ilan na mangolekta ng miscellaneous fees,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor of Republic Act 10931 during his term as chairman of the Committee on Education.
 
“Hindi dapat ito nangyayari dahil may batas nang nagsasabi na bawal ang paninigil ng miscellaneous at iba pang mandatory fee,” added Sen. Bam. “Sa batas na ito, sinisiguro na ang kapos, makapagtatapos.”
 
Sen. Bam insisted that the law should be properly enjoyed by students and their families so they can cope with daily expenses amid the high prices of food and other goods.
 
“Halos aabot din sa daan-daang piso ang kinokolektang miscellaneous fees sa mga estudyante, pera na dapat ginagamit nang panggastos ng pamilyang Pilipino na pambili ng pagkain at iba pang pangangailangan,” added Sen. Bam.
 
In response, CHED chairman Prospero de Vera agreed to issue a draft memorandum that will clarify and warn SUCs that students should not pay a single centavo to enroll in an SUC, LUC or TESDA-run TVI
 
In addition, Sen. Bam sought to expand the coverage of the free college law to cover on-the-job training, affiliation fees for nursing students, and other Related Learning Experiences (RLEs). 
 
Sen. Bam also pushed for the better support for SUCs through additional plantilla position for non-teaching personnel, such as security personnel, registrar, guidance counselors, resident ombudsman, among others.
 
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), for its part, committed and allocated money for this endeavor and was simply waiting for the recommendation from CHED.
 
Sen. Bam said once the CHED gave its recommendation, SUCs can start hiring non-teaching personnel next year.

Sen. Bam files bill to empower OFWs to start businesses in the PH

Sen. Bam Aquino filed a bill to provide incentives and benefits to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who wish to start a business in the Philippines, following the suggestion of an OFW from Batangas City during a local consultation session.

“Ito’y isang reporma na hiniling mismo ng ating mga OFW. Marami sa kanila ay nais magkaroon ng kabuhayan sa Pilipinas at makapiling ang pamilya,” said Sen. Bam in his Senate Bill No. 2101 or the “Business Incentives for OFWs Act.”

“Isa sa mga pagkukunan ng kabuhayan ng ating OFWs ay ang pagkakaroon ng matagumpay na negosyo. Bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng kabuhayan sa Pilipinas upang makasama nila ang kanilang pamilya at makitang lumaki ang kanilang mga anak,” added Sen. Bam.

If enacted into law, OFW-owned enterprises will be given benefits and incentives once they decide to invest their hard-earned money in the Philippines, including exemption from payment of income tax for five years following registration.

Other benefits for an OFW-owned business enterprise include 50-percent reduction on real property taxes and tax and duty free importation of raw materials, capital equipment, machineries and spare parts exclusively used in the operation.

Enterprises owned by OFWs will also receive preferential access to financing from government financial institutions at rates below the market rates for five years following registration.

In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam has filed several measures concerning the welfare of Filipino workers, including OFWs.

Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill No. 648 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Assistance Act to boost support for the OFW community and the families they leave back home.

If passed into law, the measure integrates programs on livelihood, entrepreneurship, savings, investments and financial literacy to the existing efforts of embassies to equip OFWs with knowledge to start their own business.

Sen. Bam has 35 laws to his name, including the landmark free college law and the Go Negosyo Act, which has now established almost 1,000 Negosyo Centers in different parts of the country.

He has been a fierce advocate for entrepreneurship as a means to overcome poverty and provide livelihood to Filipino families.

Sen. Bam thanks government for fuel tax suspension, appeals for complete repeal of TRAIN Law tax on petroleum

Sen. Bam Aquino lauded the government for listening to the people’s plea and suspending the excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, saying this could lead to its eventual removal.
 
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa Presidente at sa kanyang economic managers sa pag-aksyon sa isyu na matagal nang daing ng mga pamilyang nahihirapan sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.
 
“Ito’y tagumpay ng mga Pilipinong matagal nang humihiling ng tulong sa matinding pagtaas ng presyo,” added Sen. Bam, who has been calling for the suspension and roll-back of TRAIN Law’s tax on fuel since May this year.
 
Sen. Bam made the reaction after Budget Sec. Ben Diokno announced that the government will suspend the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law in 2019.
 
Sen. Bam hopes that the government’s move is an indication of its willingness to eventually remove the all of the excise tax on fuel under its tax reform program, which could lead to lower prices of food and other goods.
 
“Mahalaga po itong suspension ng dagdag-buwis sa Enero, pero mahalaga rin tanggalin ang buwis na nakapataw na sa ngayon. Kailangan pa ring tugunan ang problema ng mga kababayan nating nalulunod sa mahal na presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Despite this development, Sen. Bam is determined to push for the passage of his Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill, which he filed last May.
 
The measure attempts to change and fix the TRAIN Law by ensuring the suspension and rollback of fuel tax once the country’s inflation rate is too high.

Sen. Bam to gov’t: Ibasura na ang buwis sa petrolyo!

Sen. Bam Aquino urged the government to support initiatives that aim to stop excise tax on fuel under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, saying time is running out as lawmakers have just 15 session days remaining for 2018.

“Wala nang panahon. 47 days na lang ay Pasko na at mayrooon na lang labing-limang session days para maisulong ang ating panukala, pati na ang resolusyon ng minorya at sulat ng mayorya ukol sa pag-alis ng excise tax sa petrolyo,” said Sen. Bam.

“Nagkakaisa ang Senado sa hangaring mapababa ang presyo ng petrolyo at bilihin para sa kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan na nahihirapan na sa mataas na presyo ng bilihin,” added Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill last May while minority senators filed Joint Resolution No. 15 calling for the suspension and rollback of excise tax on fuel. Majority lawmakers, for their part, wrote President Duterte asking to suspend excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law.

Congress will resume session on Monday (Nov 12), and will end its session on Dec. 12 (Wednesday).

“Bigyan natin ng konting ginhawa ang mga mahihirap na nalulunod sa taas presyo,” Sen. Bam emphasized, adding that suspending excise tax on fuel under TRAIN Law is the best Christmas gift that the government can give to the Filipino people.

“Pamasko niyo na po sa mahihirap ang pagtanggal ng TRAIN sa petrolyo. Galaw-galaw na po, magpa-Pasko na,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law.

The only measure in the Senate that seeks to amend the TRAIN Law, Senate Bill No. 1798 aims to add a safeguard to ensure the suspension in the collection of excise tax on fuel once inflation rate surpasses the government’s inflation target for three consecutive months.

According to Sen. Bam, removing the excise tax on fuel would not only bring down prices of fuel, but also prices of fares, food and other goods in the market.

Sen. Bam added that removing the excise tax on petroleum would translate to additional P87 per day income for public utility drivers (PUV), which they can use to purchase two kilos of rice for their family.

Sen. Bam: Protect commuters and drivers, no jeepney phase-out in March 2019

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) both committed that there will be no phase-out of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) come March 2019. 
 
“Lahat, pati komyuter, talo sa planong phase-out sa Marso. Kung mawala ang ating mga jeepney, wala ring masasakyan ang ating mga kababayan. Tulungan natin ang mga driver na mag-modernize, imbis na tanggalin lang ang kanilang trabaho’t kabuhayan ng kanilang pamilya,” said Sen. Bam. 
 
“Plano niyo sanang bawiin ang ang prangkisa ng mga jeep sa Marso, ngunit hindi man lang kinunsulta o tinanong ang transport sector. Gawin natin ito ng tama, huwag muna ituloy itong phase-out,” added Sen. Bam, referring to the Memorandum Circular released by DOTr and LTFRB. 
 
During the hearing of the Committee on Public Services on the issue of jeepney modernization, LTFRB head Martin Delgra and DOTr Undersecretary Tim Orbos gave their commitment to Sen. Bam Aquino that the phase-out in March will not push through. 
 
Earlier, Sen. Bam filed a public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization bill with the support of the National Confederation of Transport Union (NCTU), Sentro, ACTO, and Philippine Advocates for Transport Convergence. 
 
In his Senate Bill No. 2056, Sen. Bam seeks to make jeepneys safer and more efficient for commuters and the environment, while ensuring the livelihood of drivers and their families. 
 
“Nais natin umunlad at umasenso ang mga sistema ng jeepney at tricycle, bus at tren sa bansa – at naniniwala akong may kakayahan tayong gawin ito. Ngunit kailangan din natin siguraduhin na sa programang ito, walang masasagasaang Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam. 
 
If passed into law, jeepneys will be tested based on road-worthiness and financial assistance will be given to owners who need to upgrade their jeepneys. Drivers that wish to shift careers will also be given sufficient compensation.

Sen. Bam to champion 2 new reforms for Filipino teachers

In celebration of the World Teachers Day on October 5, Sen. Bam Aquino shared two new reforms to promote the welfare of teachers and recognize their contributions to the development of our country and the lives of students.

Sen. Bam will file a measure entitled National Teachers Day Act to make Oct. 5 a paid non-working holiday for all teachers.

“Non-stop ang trabaho ng ating mga guro. Sa dami ng kanilang ginagawa, para bang mayroon silang superpowers! But even superheroes need rest. Let’s give our teachers their own holiday so they can be appreciated and celebrated,” said Sen. Bam, adding that the measure is being pushed by the Teachers Dignity Coalition.

Sen. Bam is also set to submit the Teachers Compensation and Support Act to ensure reasonable working conditions and provide free legal assistance and free counselling services to educators.

“Sadly, marami pa ring guro ang nagrereklamo na maliit at hindi sapat ang natatanggap nilang suweldo sa pribadong paaralan kung ikukumpara sa pampublikong eskuwelahan,” said Sen. Bam.

“Tulungan at suportahan natin ang mga Filipino teachers. Siguraduhin natin na disente ang nakukuha nilang suweldo at patas ang suweldo at working conditions sa public at private schools,” added Sen. Bam, vice chairman of the Committee on Education.

The measure will also provide an education subsidy for qualified and financially disadvantaged teachers who want to pursue further education.

The Teachers Compensation and Support Act is being pushed by different stakeholders and organizations, which include: Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAPSCU), Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), National Alliance of Private Schools Philippines, Inc. (NAPSPHIL), and the PEAC-Fund Assistance to Private Education (PEAC-FAPE).

Sen. Bam, for his part, has passed 27 laws including Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act making education free in public universities and colleges.

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