Bam Aquino

Bam welcomes President Duterte’s EO on FOI

Senator Bam Aquino lauds President Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI), saying it is a “welcome development in the fight for transparency and good governance”. 

“We believe wholeheartedly that this Executive Order will aid in the fight against corruption,” said Sen. Bam.

In the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam was among the senators who pushed for the enactment of the FOI into law, passing it on third and final reading. 

However, it did not come to fruition as the House failed to come up with its own version of the measure. 

In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam has filed a measure entitled the People’s Freedom of Information Act seeking to institutionalize the FOI into law. 

“This is a bold step in the right direction, and hopefully, the legislature can follow the President’s lead and institutionalize this into a law as well,” the senator added.

Bam wants businesses to give spare food to poor

A senator wants food-related businesses to donate their spare food to food-distribution charities or “food banks” to provide food security to our poorest Filipino families while also addressing food waste.

 “Sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin at presyo ng pagkain ngayon, hindi makatarungan na maraming nasasayang na pagkain,” said Sen. Bam Aquino as he filed Senate Bill No. 357 or the Zero Food Waste Act.

 In his measure, Sen. Bam wants to “ultimately end the cycle of having food end up in the trash instead of stomachs”.

 Sen. Bam submitted the measure days after the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released its 2016 first-quarter report, indicating that the number of families that experienced involuntary hunger rose to 3.1 million from 2.6 million in the last quarter of 2015.

 According to SWS, the total hunger rate accelerated to 13.7 percent during 2016’s first quarter from 2015’s fourth quarter of 11.7 percent.

 The measure seeks to create a National Anti-Food Waste Scheme, with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as coordinating agency between food businesses, such as food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels, and food banks.

 The scheme will set guidelines and standards for the collection, storage, and distribution of edible food donated to food banks. It will also promote linkages between food banks and LGUs to create a community-based food distribution system for the food insecure.

 It will establish a Self-Sufficiency Program that provides the food insecure with skills training on managing food banks and livelihood programs to avoid dependence on donations.

 Food-related businesses will shoulder the costs of transporting edible food waste from business location to the food bank’s warehouse or distribution center and ensure its good condition upon arrival.

 If enacted into law, the penalty of prision correccional will be imposed on any individual, private or public, who deliberately makes food waste unfit for consumption.

 Sen. Bam said the same penalty is applicable to private or public actors who prevent the redirection of edible food waste to food banks or inedible food waste to waste management and recycling enterprises.

 In addition, Sen. Bam said the measure will push private individuals and their local governments to participate in a segregation campaign to have food waste readily available for recycling into fertilizer or compost.

BIDA KA!: Isang Simpleng Parangal sa ating Big Brother

Mga bida, isa sa mga hinahangaan at tinitingala kong personalidad ay si dating Education Sec. Bro. Armin Luistro, isa sa pinakamasipag na miyembro ng Gabinete sa nakaraang administrasyon.

Nagsimula si Bro. Armin bilang religion teacher sa De La Salle Lipa noong dekada otsenta. Mula noon, umangat siya sa posisyon at naging pinuno ng walong institusyon ng De La Salle bilang pangulo at CEO ng De La Salle Philippines (DLSP).

***

Noong 2010, sa unang pagkakataon ay sumabak si Bro. Armin sa paglilingkod sa gobyerno nang italaga siyang kalihim ng Department of Education (DepEd).

Agad napasabak sa mga hamon si Bro. Armin. Sinalubong siya ng katakut-takot na problema, gaya ng kakulangan na 61.7 milyon sa libro, 2.5 milyon sa upuan, 66,800 silid aralan at 145,827 guro.

Maliban pa rito, si Bro. Armin din ang naatasan sa preparasyon at paglalatag ng kontrobersiyal na K to 12 Program.

***

Hindi naman nagpatinag si Bro. Armin sa mga gabundok na problema na sinalo ng Aquino government na kailangan niyang tugunan.

Hinarap niya ang mga problemang ito para na rin sa kapakanan ng milyun-milyong estudyante sa buong Pilipinas.

Sa gitna ng batikos sa kanyang bawat kilos at galaw, epektibo at tahimik na nagampanan ni Bro. Armin ang tungkulin.

Sa isang panayam kay Bro. Armin bago siya bumaba sa puwesto, sinabi niyang nabura ang backlog sa silid aralan nang makapagpatayo ang ahensiya ng 118,000 bagong classrooms mula 2010 hanggang 2016.

Maliban dito, may 66,000 pang classrooms ang kasalukuyan nang itinatayo kaya aakyat sa 185,000 ang silid aralan na naipatayo sa ilalim ng dating administrasyon.

Nasolusyunan din ang kakulangan sa guro sa pagkuha ng mahigit 258,000 guro mula 2010 hanggang 2016.

Isinulong din ni Luistro ang pagpapaganda ng pasilidad, paglalagay ng internet at ICT at makabagong modules para mapaganda ang kalidad ng edukasyon sa bansa.

Pinangunahan din ni Luistro ang maayos na pagpapatupad ng K to 12 Program, kabilang ang pagsisimula ng unang batch ng Grade 11 noong Hunyo.

Nabawasan din ng halos kalahati ang bilang ng out-of-school youth sa bansa sa pamamagitan ng Abot Alam Program.

Dahil nakita kong epektibo ang nasabing programa, isinumite ko ang Senate Bill No. 172 o ang Abot Alam Bill upang maipatupad ito sa buong bansa.

Kapag naisabatas, tutugon ito sa pangangailangan ng mga kabataang Pinoy na may edad pito hanggang 24 na hindi nag-aaral sa paglikha ng programa na magbibigay ng edukasyon sa bawat Pilipino, lalo na ang out-of-school youth (OSY).

***

Naisip ko na bakit hindi ipinagmamalaki ni Bro. Armin ang kanyang mga nagawa.

Pero naalala ko ang kanyang binanggit noon na ito’y tungkulin natin bilang lingkod-bayan at hindi dapat mag-antay ng anumang kapalit at mga papuri dahil ito’y para sa pangangailangan at kapakanan ng taumbayan.

Maliban pa rito, palagi ko ring naririnig na sinasabi ni Bro. Armin na kahit maraming batikos sa pagganap niya ng tungkulin na makapaglingkod sa kapwa, lalo siyang napapalapit sa Diyos.

Ang tagumpay ni Bro. Armin sa kabila ng mabigat na hamon ay nagbibigay sa akin ng inspirasyon upang pagbutihin pa ang paglilingkod sa taumbayan.

Umaasa tayong marami pang Bro. Armin ang lilitaw at magsisilbi sa pamahalaan.

Article first published on Abante Online

 

BIDA KA!: Makilahok sa SK elections

Mga bida, umpisa bukas (Biyernes) hanggang ika-30 ng Hulyo, gagawin ang pagpapatala para sa eleksiyon ng mga bagong opisyal ng barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) sa Oktubre 31.

Kung ikaw ay mamamayan ng Pilipinas, residente sa barangay na iyong tinitirhan ng hindi bababa sa anim na buwan at 15 anyos ang edad ngunit hindi sa 30 taon ang edad sa araw ng halalan, maaari kang magparehistro at makaboto sa SK.

Sa mga interesado, maaaring magtungo sa tanggapan ng election officer ng Commission on Elections (COMELEC) sa siyudad o munisipalidad kung saan kayo nakatira at doon magpatala.

Maaari ring bumisita sa website ng COMELEC para sa karagdagang impormasyon. (comelec.gov.ph)

***

Dati, ang SK ay kilala lang sa pagpapaliga ng basketball, beauty contest at iba’t ibang proyekto na hindi mabisa sa pag­hubog sa kabataan.

Nakakalungkot ding sabihin na may mga sitwasyon na ang SK ay nagsilbi ring ‘breeding ground’ sa katiwalian ng ilang mga opisyal.

Ito ang dahilan kung bakit isinulong natin, bilang chairman ng Committee on Youth, ang pagreporma sa SK sa pamamagitan ng batas, na ngayo’y kilala na bilang SK Reform Act o Republic Act No. 10742.

Bilang co-author at co-sponsor ng RA 10742, nais nating burahin ang negatibong impresyon sa SK at gawin itong daan upang tulungan ang mga kabataan na maging produktibong miyembro ng lipunan.

Excited na ako para sa darating na SK elections, dahil dito unang masusubukan at maipatutupad ang mga pagbabago na isinulong natin sa ilalim ng nasabing batas.

***

Isa sa malaking pagbabago sa SK ay ang pagpapataas ng edad ng mga opisyal na maaaring tumakbo. Mula sa dating 15 hanggang 17-anyos, ngayon nasa 18 hanggang 24-anyos na ang puwedeng kumandidato.

Layon nito na bigyan ng legal na karapatan ang mga opisyal na pumirma sa mga kontrata at magkaroon ng pananagutan sa kanilang mga pagkilos, kung nagkaroon man ng pag-abuso o anomalya.

Sa batas na ito, mula 15 hanggang 30 anyos ang maaaring lumahok sa SK elections matapos nating iayon ang depinisyon ng kabataan na nakasaad sa iba pang mga batas.

Maliban pa rito, matitiyak na may kakayahan ang mga bagong SK official dahil kailangan nila sumailalim sa mandatory training programs bago manungkulan.

Habang ginagampanan nila ang bagong tungkulin, may mga nakalinyang iba pang training program na magbibigay sa kanila ng dagdag na kaalaman.

Sa ilalim ng batas, itatatag ang Local Youth Development Council (LYDC), isang konseho na susuporta sa SK at titiyak na mayroong aktibong partisipasyon ng mga kabataan.

Ang LYDC ay bubuo ng mga kinatawan mula sa iba’t ibang youth organizations sa komunidad gaya ng student councils, simbahan at youth faith groups at community-based youth groups.

***

Ngunit ang pinakamahalagang aspeto ng batas ay ang tinatawag na anti-dynasty provision. Sa kasaysayan, ito ang kauna-unahang batas na mayroong probisyon na lumalaban sa mga dinastiya sa bansa.

Sa probisyong ito, hindi na puwedeng tumakbo sa anumang SK position ang pamilya o kamag-anak ng sinumang halal na public official — mula national, provincial, city/municipality at barangay levels — hanggang sa tinatawag na second degree of consanguinity and affinity.

Sa tulong nito, mabibigyan ang mas maraming kabataan na maglingkod sa kapwa nila kabataan sa pamamagitan ng pagtakbo sa SK.

Kung kayo ay student leaders ngayon sa inyong eskwelahan, youth leaders sa non-government organization, mga kabataang lider sa ating simbahan, pag-isipan po nating tumakbo sa SK.

Samantalahin natin ang pagkakataong ito. Ma­ging bahagi tayo sa malaking pagbabagong ito sa sistema na magbibigay lakas at tututok sa kapakanan ng mga kabataan.

Sayang din ang mapangahas na batas kung wala ring tutugon sa hamon nito na baguhin ang sistema.

Sabi nga natin, ang uso ngayong kataga dahil kay President Duterte ay “Change is Coming”. Sana nga maging ganap ang change na mangyari sa ating SK.

Article first published on Abante Online

 

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.

 

BIDA KA!: Kuwento ni Rustie

Mga bida, sa ilang taon kong pagsasagawa ng Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards, isa sa mga kahanga-ha­ngang tao na nakilala ko ay si Rustie Quintana.

Napakaganda ng istorya ni Rustie. Katunayan, ang kuwento niya ay naitampok pa sa isang episode ng drama series sa telebisyon.

Si Rustie ay dating batang kalye, rugby boy at nagpagamit pa bilang “courier” ng mga nagbebenta ng droga sa kanilang lugar sa Cagayan de Oro.

Dahil sa kanyang kalokohan, ilang beses naglabas-masok si Rustie sa programa ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) para sa mga juvenile delinquent.

Sandali ring nakulong si Rustie sa Lumbia City Jail at pinaamin sa kasalanang hindi niya ginawa para lang mailipat sa Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) sa Gingoog City.

Sa nasabing center, dalawang taong nanatili si Rustie at sumailalim sa rehabilitasyon. Nang makalabas, inalis lahat ang anumang record niya.

Kung nahatulan sana si Rustie sa pagiging drug courier, ang parusa sanang ipinataw sa kanya ay labin­dalawa hanggang dalawampung taong pagkabilanggo at multang P12,000 hanggang P20,000.

Paglabas ni Rustie ng center, nagsimula ang tuluy-tuloy na pagbabago ng kanyang buhay. Nakatulong din sa pagbabago ni Rustie ang isang youth organization sa Cagayan de Oro na may pangalang ‘Dire Husi’.

Tinitipon ng ‘Dire Husi’ ang mga batang kalye at tinuturuan sila ng sining upang mailayo sila sa bisyo at kriminalidad patungo sa kanilang pagbabago.

Sa tulong nito, nabago ang takbo ng buhay ni Rustie. Nakatuntong pa nga siya sa Malacañang nang igawad ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino ang parangal sa ‘Dire Husi’ bilang isa sa Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) noong 2012.

Kamakailan lang, na­balitaan kong natapos na ni Rustie ang kursong Development Communications sa Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.

Kung hindi nabigyan si Rustie ng pagkakataong makapagbagong buhay, siguradong dalawang lugar lang ang kanyang kina­hantungan – bilangguan o libingan.

***

Muling bumalik sa akin ang kuwento ni Rustie ngayong umiinit na naman ang isyu ng pag-amyenda sa Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act o Republic Act 9344 as amended.

Ngayon, may mga panukalang ibaba ang age of criminal liability mula 15-anyos patungong siyam na taong gulang.

Katwiran ng mga nagsusulong na ibaba ang age of criminal liability, nagagamit ang mga batang may edad 15 taong gulang pababa sa paggawa ng krimen at nakakalusot dahil hindi maaaring kasuhan. Hindi ko mailarawan sa aking isipan ang nasabing sitwasyon.

Hindi katanggap-tanggap na ang isang siyam na taong gulang na bata ay papatawan ng parusa na para sa isang matanda.

Baka sa halip na magbagong buhay ay posibleng humantong din sa pagiging kriminal ang mga batang ikukulong kasama ng iba pang masasamang loob.

Isa pa, sa kalunus-lunos na kondisyon ng ating mga bilangguan at detention centers, baka lalo lang mapariwara ang mga batang bilanggo sa halip na magbagong-buhay.

Lalala pa ang sitwasyon kapag nagtagumpay ang mga nagsusulong na ibaba ang age of criminal liability at death penalty.

Kapag nangyari ang dalawang senaryo, posibleng kabilang sa mga bibitayin ay batang siyam na taong gulang na gagawa ng karumal-dumal na krimen kapag sila’y nilitis bilang nasa wastong gulang at hindi menor-de-edad.

***

Naniniwala tayong napakaganda ng layunin ng Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, basta’t naipa tutupad lang nang tama.

Sa halip na ikulong, ang mga batang 15 taong gulang pababa na may problema sa batas ay ilala gak sa kustodiya ng mga magulang o ipasok sa isang youth care facility o ‘Bahay Pag-asa’.

Sa ‘Bahay Pag-asa’, mabibigyan sila ng panibagong pagkakataon upang makapagbagong buhay nang walang takot at trauma na dulot ng pagkabilanggo.

Pinapatawan din ng mabigat na parusa ng Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act ang mga taong gumagamit ng mga bata sa paggawa ng krimen at ilegal na aktibidad.

Sa halip na pagtuunan ng pansin ang pagpapababa ng tinatawag na age of criminal liability, mas maiging bigyang pansin ang pagpapaganda ng pasilidad ng ating juvenile centers.

Kung mahuhubog sila at magagabayan sa tamang landas, muli silang makakabalik sa lipunan na may positibong pananaw sa buhay at malaki ang maitutulong upang maging produktibong mamamayan ng bansa.

Ganito ang eksaktong nangyari kay Rustie.

Tuwing naaalala ko ang kuwento ni Rustie, nananatiling buo ang aking pag-asa na kayang magbago ng mga kabataang naliligaw ng landas, basta’t panatilihin lang na bukas ang pinto ng pagkakataon para sa kanila.

Kung mayroon mang butas ang batas, puwedeng pag-usapan, pag-aralan at hanapan ng akmang solusyon.

Huwag tayong magpadalus-dalos sa pagkilos dahil baka sa halip na makabuti, lalala pa ang problema.

Article first published on Abante Online

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.

Bam seeks to stop ‘Endo’

In a move to strengthen the rights of workers and promote security of tenure, a senator filed a measure that seeks to end the unjust “Endo” (end contract) practice in the country.

 On Thursday, Sen. Bam Aquino filed the End Endo Act, amending Sections 106 to 109 of the Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.

 It 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.

 Employers are also limited from contracting or subcontracting more than 20 percent of their total workforce.

 The End Endo Act will further professionalize the service contracting industry by prohibiting labor-only contracting and establishing industry standards.

 It will also guarantee contracted workers of reasonable compensation even in between assignments through a Transition Support Program.

 “If approved, tapos na ang nakasanayang 50 o 100 percent ng workforce ay contracted o subcontracted,” said Sen. Bam.

 In addition, the measure requires the mandatory posting of bond that will serve as a safeguard for the employee’s claims in case of violation by the contractor or subcontractor.

Bam fulfills campaign promise to alleviate poverty through Entrepreneurship, Employment and Education

In 2013, Sen. Bam Aquino ran with a campaign promise of uplifting lives of Filipino families and fighting poverty through education, employment, and entrepreneurship or the 3Es.

 In his first three years, Sen. Bam Aquino laid the foundation for the growth of micro and small businesses, improved access to financing for entrepreneurs, lowered logistics costs for imported and exported goods, and ensured the financial literacy of generations to come.

 During the 16th Congress, he worked for the passage of 14 laws in line with his commitment to the Filipino people. Nine of these laws were aligned with his advocacy to build an effective support network for local business, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and promote ease of doing business.

 These are the landmark Philippine Competition Act, Go Negosyo Act, Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act or Amendments to the Cabotage Policy, Youth Entrepreneurship Act, Microfinance NGOs Act, Credit Surety Act, Lemon Law, the Customs Modernization and Tarrif Act, and the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) Act.

 After gathering dust for more than two decades, the Philippine Competition Act was finally enacted into law thanks to Sen. Bam Aquino’s efforts as co-author and principal sponsor in the Senate.

 Dubbed by Sen. Bam as a “historic, game-changing legislation for the economy”, the Philippine Competition Act or Republic Act 10667 provides a level-playing field for all businesses and penalizes bad market behavior and abuse of dominant positions.

 The law expected to improve the quality and lower the prices of goods and services by eliminating cartels, and penalizing anti-competitive agreements and abuses of dominant players in the market.

 The Go Negosyo Act, the first law passed by Sen. Bam in the 16th Congress, mandates the establishment of Negosyo Centers in all municipalities, cities and provinces that will assist micro, small and medium enterprises in the country.

 “This is a part of our pledge to work for the development of MSMEs to help create jobs and livelihood for many Filipinos and spur the country’s economy,” said Sen. Bam, the youngest senator in the 16th Congress.

 There are already 200 Negosyo Centers catering to the needs of struggling entrepreneurs in the country, from returning OFWs and carinderia owners to farmers and social entrepreneurs.

 As chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, he also initiated investigations into the slow and expensive Internet in the country and the congestion in the Port of Manila.

 The investigation produced several triumphs that will help improve the Internet service in the country, including the much-awaited IP Peering between Globe and PLDT.

 In the 17th Congress, he is expected to head the Committee on Education, hoping to elevate the quality of Philippine education, particularly in our public schools to global standards so that more young Filipinos can build a brighter future for themselves and their family.

 Sen. Bam has already filed four education-related measures such as the Free Education in State Colleges and Universities (SUCs), Free Education for Children of Public School Teachers’ Children, Abot Alam, and the Trabaho Center in Schools bills.

 Even with education on his mind, he continues to push for his social entrepreneurship advocacy and is still building a robust support system for small business with the filing of bills to support Small Business Tax Reform, Startups, and Social Enterprises, among others.

 Sen. Bam is relentless in his pursuit to fulfill his campaign promise of the 3Es to achieve inclusive growth and help Filipino families overcome poverty.

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