Bam Aquino

Bam Seeks to Clarify Gov’t Policy on Uber, GrabCar

A senator seeks to investigate the enforcement of government’s programs and policies on new application-based transportation system in the country, such as Uber and GrabCar.

Sen. Bam Aquino filed Senate Resolution No. 1508 after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ordered the apprehension of unregistered Internet application-based transport systems with a fine of P200,000 and impoundment of three months.

The LTFRB’s move came after Department of Transportation and Communications issued Department Order No. 2015-11, which recognizes and puts in place appropriate regulation for four new modes of public transportations such as airport buses, bus rapid transits (BRTs), transport network vehicle service (TNVS) and premium taxi.

“There is a need to delineate and clarify the various transportation policies pertaining to the different transport administration components such as planning, policy making, data management and enforcement,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“The main challenge of the different government agencies and offices is to align their rules and regulations, as well as policies, in order to solve the worsening traffic conditions in Metro Manila,” the senator added.

In his resolution, Sen. Bam said this lack of communication between the DOTC and LTFRB underscores a National Center for Transportation Studies report, which shows lack of coordination and overlapping functions among transportation and traffic related units of the national and local government units.

“The Department Order was issued in response to the call of Uber, GrabCar, other similar Internet application-based transportation networks, and the public to recognize this innovative technology and be able to operate legally,” Sen. Bam.

“Let us continue supporting emerging industries and new business models, especially in our public transportation system that will enhance competition and provide better service to our fellow Filipinos,” said Sen. Bam, a staunch supporter of start-ups.

Transcript of Sen. Bam’s Interview after the Internet hearing

Q: Satisified po ba kayo na may MC na? Para mas truthful ang advertisements.

 Sen. Bam: Iyong memorandum circular, isa iyan sa hiningi natin noong unang hearing pa lang and we’re happy naman na ngayon sa fifth hearing natin, lumabas na ang memorandum circular.

 Ini-expect po ng taumbayan na mag-iiba ang advertisements ng telcos. Iyong makukuha nila sa kanilang bahay ay malapit doon sa nakalagay sa mga advertisement. Kung hindi ito malapit based sa measurements ng NTC, mayroon pong puwedeng habulin na consumer complaint sa DTI.

To be clear, ito pong MC na ito ay for fixed line. Iyong mobile broadband, kung saan 90 percent ng kababayan ay kumukuha sa mobile ng Internet, iyan po’y lalabas sa October pa at iyan naman ang pangako ng NTC commissioner natin.

Iyong next steps natin dito, mukhang kailangang pag-usapan kung paano puwedeng pumasok din ang gobyerno pagdating sa pag-iimprove ng ating Internet.

So far ho kasi, nasa pribadong sektor lang ang Internet natin kaya kung mapapansin ninyo, sa third, fourth at fifth class municipalities, sa mga malalayong lugar, wala na pong signal, wala na pong Internet.

If we do recognize that the Internet is important to our economy, at ito po ang mensahe ni Secretary Balisacan, mahalaga na tumaya rito ang gobyerno at tingnan kung paano ito puwedeng tumulong sa pagpapalaganap ng mabilis na Internet sa ating bayan.

The next hearings will be about solutions to our Internet issues. Today, ang pinag-usapan is one, an increase in competition, alam naman natin na kakapasa lang ng Philippine Competition Act.

Iyong pangalawa, pagdating naman sa pagpasok ng gobyerno sa pagtulong sa problema ng Internet. Ngayon po ay budget season, maganda na pag-usapan rin po kung magkano baa ng investment dapat ng gobyerno pagdating sa pag-resolve sa isyung ito.

 

Q: Sa tingin po ninyo, anong form ng government intervention ang pinaka-realistic?

Sen. Bam: Currently, may free wifi project na tayo with DOST. This will hopefully provide Internet sa third, fourth, fifth and sixth class municipalities, pati na sa eskuwelahan natin.

But what I’m looking is really a major broadband plan. Sabi po ni Secretary Balisacan ng NEDA, baka panahon na isama ito sa medium term development plan ng pamahalaan.

Para sa akin, maganda ang takbo ng ekonomiya pero kung gusto nating i-sustain ito, kailangang sabayan po iyan ng magandang Internet sa ating bayan.

 

Q: Ito po ang tinutukoy nilang carrier-neutral Internet backbone?

Sen. Bam: That’s one of the suggestions. Definitely, mahalagang matingnan  ng gobyerno kung ano ang role niya. If you’re a private company, hindi ka talagang mag-iinvest sa mga lugar na sa tingin mo hindi na kikita.  These are areas na malalayo, kakaunti lang ang tao, but definitely we want development to reach those areas.

Ito ho iyong mga lugar na puwedeng tingnan ng pamahalaan, kung puwede po ay mag-invest dito at mapalaganap ang connectivity sa mas maraming lugar.

So far, kung makikita po natin, we’re one of the most expensive, we’re one of the slowest and iyong access po natin, mga 50 to 60 percent lang ng ating kababayan. If we want our economy to grow, kailangang tumaas ang mga numero natin diyan.

Ang ideal po diyan, lahat ng sulok ng Pilipinas mayroon pong signal, ito po’y mababa ang presyo at mabilis at kapaki-pakinabang ang Internet signal sa mga lugar na iyan.

 

Q: Iyong penalty lang para sa mga telcos na hindi susunod sa inadvertise nila, P200 per day, paano iyan sir?

Sen. Bam: Sa totoo lang, napakababa po ng penalty sa Consumer Act. Actually it’s  P500 to P5,000 in the Consumer Act. As you know, as chairman of Trade, ito’y binibigyan natin ng pansin.

We’re likely to amend the Consumer Act para mas mataas ang penalty sa kompanya na hindi fair sa consumers natin. Hindi lang ito sa telco kundi kasama na po riyan ang iba’t ibang negosyo sa ating bansa.

This is one of the laws that we’re working on at sa tingin ko nga po, sabay-sabay po lahat iyan. Pare-parehas po iyan at magkakadikit-dikit. Improving our consumer protection, improving our Internet infrastructure. Lahat po iyan binibigyan ng pansin ng aming komite.

 

Q: Iyong MC po seeks to address the problem of false advertisement, pero iyong mismong Internet speed, should be expect it to change?

Sen. Bam: No. The solution sa Internet speed, again, will be, because of competition. Dahil sa naipasa nating Philippine Competition Act, we expect more players to come. In fact, by next year, we’re almost sure that another telco player will be put up.

And, kung gaano ang investment ng gobyerno sa mga lugar na malalayo sa urban areas.

 It’s both a government intervention and a private sector or market solution. Iyon ang nakikita nating paraan para bumilis at mas gumanda ang Internet sa ating bayan.

Q: Sir nakapasok na sa 2016 budget iyon? Iyong para sa new investment ng government?

 Sen. Bam: There is an increased investment in Internet infrastructure pero baka kulang pa rin ito sa ninanais nating major push. In fact, it’s good to start the discussions now pero kailangan din ang input dito ng NEDA.

Kasi pag ang NEDA, nag-input na riyan, ang ibig sabihin noon, it’s part of the national plan. Iyong national na plano ng Pilipinas upang mas umunlad tayo. Ano ang espasyo o ano ang role doon ng pagkakaroon ng access to Internet.

I think that’s something needs to be further discussed and sabi ni Secretary Balisacan, handa siyang ituloy o i-lead ang discussion na iyon among government agencies.

 

Q: Iyong idea na foreign company ang mag-render ng value-added service, allowed ba iyon? 

Sen. Bam: Na-raise ng Twitter friends natin, kasi may livestream tayo, iyong foreign companies. This is an ongoing discussion. May pros and cons po iyan. Of course, hindi lang po ito sa telcos kundi sa lahat ng industriya.

May sector po na nagsasabi na kailangang i-relax ang constitutionally protected industries natin, Ang nangunguna po riyan, si Speaker Belmonte. In fact, matagal na niya itong tinutulak.

I don’t think there’s enough time to have constitutional change in the last couple of months of the Aquino administration. Baka ito sa mga puwedeng i-tackle ng susunod na administrasyon, to have a constitutional change, at baka ito ang isa sa topics na puwedeng i-discuss.

 

Q: Sir, about the death of your uncle. Totoo bang ni-request niya na huwag nang magkaroon ng necrological service?

Sen. Bam:  We all know na si Tito Butz po has passed away. Isa sa mga hiling niya ay wala na pong wake, so wala na pong lamay. The family has decided to have masses and we’re in the middle of preparations to have a mass in the Senate tomorrow at 2 p.m.

 

Q: Pero sir misa lang, hindi na dadalhin ang body niya dito?

Sen. Bam: He has been cremated this morning so most likely iyong urn niya dadalhin dito.

Bam to NTC: Explain Delay in MC on Internet Standards

Where are we in improving the country’s Internet connection service?

Senator Bam Aquino made this pronouncement to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), as he wondered why the agency has not yet issued the memorandum circular on the quality of Internet standards.

“Six months have passed since the NTC committed to come out with the memorandum circular but until now, the agency has yet to deliver on its promise,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“The NTC must provide a detailed and acceptable report on its recent moves to improve the country’s Internet connection service as the approval of their 2016 budget heavily depends on that,” added Aquino.

Appointed recently as one of the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. Bam is tasked to scrutinize and approve the budget of several government agencies, including the NTC, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA)

For almost a year now, Sen. Bam has been investigating the slow and expensive Internet in the country.

During one of the hearings earlier this year, the NTC promised to release a memorandum circular that will set Internet quality service in the country, including the minimum speed for broadband and DSL connections.

Six months after, the NTC has yet to deliver on its commitment, which Sen. Bam described as detrimental to the welfare of millions of Internet user in the country.

The committee hearing though has produced small victories that may help achieve a faster and cheaper connection.

The probe has encouraged telecommunication companies to embrace IP peering that will help speed up opening of websites while the Department of Justice (DOJ) has released guidelines against deceptive or misleading internet print, TV and radio advertisements.

 

NEGOSYO, NOW NA!: Maning-mani ang negosyo

Mga Kanegosyo, isa sa parating inaabiso natin sa mga negosyante ang pagkakaroon ng bagong ideya na ipinapatupad sa ating mga negosyo.

Para makaisip ng innovation o pagbabago sa mga produkto at serbisyo, kailangan ng malikhaing pag-iisip at pag-aaral ng merkado at industriya upang makuha ang kiliti ng mamimili.

Sa kaso ni Josie See ng Peanut World, nakakuha siya ng bagong ideya sa katapat na food cart habang nagbabantay ng negosyo ng biyenan.

Sa aming pag-uusap sa programang Status Update sa DZXL 558 noong nakaraan, nang mag-asawa siya, iniwan muna niya ang pagiging duktor sa mata para tulungan ang pamilya ng kanyang asawa sa pagtitinda ng castañas.

Habang nagbabantay sa kanilang outlet, napansin niya ang katapat na cart na nagbebenta ng mani. 

Napadalas ang pagbili niya roon dahil mahilig siya sa mani. Di nagtagal, nagsawa na siya dahil apat na uri lang ng mani ang binebenta ng katapat na cart. 

Kaya naisip niya na magtayo ng sariling cart ng mani na may iba’t ibang uri at flavor upang hindi magsawa ang mamimili.

*** 

Sa umpisa, pinag-aralan nilang mag-asawa ang takbo ng merkado, kung ano bang flavor ng mani ang akma sa mga bata, kabataan at sa mga medyo may edad na.

Mga Kanegosyo, sa kanilang innovation, nakagawa sila ng labing-anim na uri ng mani  mula sa candy coated at honey flavored para sa mga bata at spicy at mixed nuts naman para sa kabataan.

Sa mga sumunod na taon, pumatok na ang franchising ng food cart business ngunit naghintay pa ng isang dekada ang mag-asawa bago tuluyang pumasok dito.

Inamin ni Josie na sarado ang isip nilang mag-asawa sa franchising ngunit nagbago ang direksiyon ng negosyo nang mapansin nilang mas mabilis ang paglago ng mga kakumpitensiya sa merkado.

Sa tulong ng isang kaibigan, nakapaglatag ng isang magandang plano at sistema para sa Peanut World, mula sa human relations, accounting at inventory, na siyang pinakamahalagang aspeto sa franchising.

Sumali sila sa Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI), isa sa mga kinikilalang grupo ng franchisers sa bansa.  

Mula noon, hindi na napigil pa ang paglago ng Peanut World. Sa ngayon, mayroon na itong 45 outlets kung saan 30 ay pagmamay-ari nila at 15 ay franchised.

Mga Kanegosyo, hindi natapos sa mani ang mag-asawa. Naisip nila na magkaroon ng bagong produkto na katulad sa pagluluto ng mani at nagtinda na rin sila ng iba’t ibang uri ng chicharon.

Maliban sa nakasanayang chicharon, gumawa na rin sila ng chicharong gawa sa balat ng isda para sa health conscious.

***

Mahalaga na mayroon tayong kamalayan sa ating kapaligiran araw-araw. Mga Kanegosyo, sa isang mun­ting pagsusuri sa binibilhang mani, nakaisip si Josie ng bagong ideya. 

Napaganda at napalaki nila ang isang simpleng negosyo na mas pumatok sa merkado.

Maganda ring tingnan na hindi sila nakampante sa kung anong mayroon sila at nagdagdag sila ng produkto na siyang patuloy na mag-aakit sa mga mamimili.  

Sa pagdagdag ng chicharon sa kanilang produkto, mas maraming pagpipilian ang mga mamimili na siyang ikagigiliw ng mga ito.

Ang kuwento ng Peanut World ay isa sa mga patunay na sa patuloy na pag-iisip ng makabagong ideya, kilos o produkto, lalong mapapalago ang ating negosyo at mapapalapit sa ating pinapangarap na tagumpay!

 

First Published on Abante Online

 

Sen. Bam Committed to Supporting MSMEs in Zamboanga

Zamboanga City – Senator Bam Aquino visited Zamboanga City last Thursday to launch the 4th Negosyo Center in the region and the 73rd in the country.

“We’re proud to have this center up in Zamboanga City. Alam po natin na napakaganda ng potensyal dito,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Sen. Bam is the main author of Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act, which mandates the creation of Negosyo Centers in all provinces, cities and municipalities in the country.

It is the Senator’s advocacy to achieve inclusive growth through enabling and empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“For our MSMEs, it’s not about protection but about competition. It is about enabling them and giving them the support so they can compete in larger markets,” said the neophyte Senator, “How can they compete? They can compete kung meron silang puhunan, kaalaman, at access sa malalaking merkado.”

It is the objective of the newly inaugurated Negosyo Center, located at the DTI provincial office along Veteran’s Avenue, to provide access to bigger markets and financing for businesses while simplifying the business registration process.

As for the major challenge faced by Zamboanga’s entrepreneurs, the Senator hopes to work closely with the local government unit to look into the energy crisis.

“Kung walang kuryente, walang negosyo so I know how important it is,” he said, “We need to take a closer look at it. We will work with Mayor Beng Climaco and Chairman Chris Arnuco to figure out how to handle this better.”

Overall, Sen. Bam believes that spurring a thriving MSME sector is the key to spreading the economic surge the country is experiencing.

“We want to see our MSME succeed because if they are successful, they provide jobs, the local economy will grow, and we create value of our countrymen,” he said, “We’re hoping that through this center, we can provide tangible support to our MSMEs.”

Bam on PNoy’s Last SONA

“In his final SONA, we expect the President to lay down all the gains that the country has achieved under his administration.

Among them is his successful drive against graft and corruption that has boosted investors’ confidence in the country.

This renewed confidence has resulted in the unprecedented growth of the country’s economy, which is now the second strongest in Asia next to China.

The passage of important economic bills such as the Philippine Competition Act and the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act are also worth mentioning, considering the positive impact that these laws may bring to our economy.

Worth discussing also are the reforms that we’ve put in place in our national budget systems, in education & social services, in infrastructure and in the culture of transparency & accountability of our public servants and institutions.

We also know that we cannot win the fight against poverty in six years.  Thus, we expect that the President will also lay down the much needed reforms that need to be done by the next administration.

With less than a year remaining in this administration, we are in the homestretch.

We need to work hand in hand to sustain the gains of this administration especially in our economy, the fight against graft and corruption, in the alleviation of our poor and in the realization of inclusive growth.

We have worked hard for these achievements in the past five years. We must not let these gains go down the drain.

Kumbaga sa basketball, last two minutes na. Time to go for the win!

 On the part of the Congress, we must pass crucial measures such as the Bangsamoro Basic Law, Sangguniang Kabataan Reform, amendments to the Corporation Code and Microfinance NGOs Act, among others.

These laws will help ensure that the momentum of these gains will continue beyond this administration.”

P-Noy Thanks ‘Kuya Bam’ for PH Competition Law

President Benigno Aquino III thanked Sen. Bam Aquino for his efforts to pass two crucial legislative measures that will further sustain the country’s economic growth and boost the government’s inclusive growth agenda.

In his speech, the Chief Executive lauded Sen. Aquino, whom he playfully referred to as “Kuya Bam”,  for working for the passage of the Philippine Competition Law and the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act, now known as Republic Act 10667 and 10668, respectively.

The measures were signed by the Chief Executive during a ceremony at Malacanang Palace today (July 21).

“Partikular po nating pinasasalamatan, unahin ko na po, pasensiya na po kayo, ‘yung kuya ko si Bam Aquino, at ang marami pang ibang sponsor at may-akda ng dalawang batas na ito,” President Aquino said in his speech.

The President said the Philippine Competition Act, which took almost 25 years to pass into law, would help sustain the country’s ever-growing economy and ensure a climate that provides a level-playing field for all businesses.

“Sa pamamagitan ng dalawang panukalang batas na pinagtibay natin sa araw na ito, tinatanggal natin ang mga baluktot na kalakarang dulot ng kawalan ng kumpetisyon, na walang nadadalang pakinabang sa ating mamamayan,” said the Chief Executive.

The President also stressed the importance of the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act, saying that it will lead to lower prices of logistics and lower prices of goods for consumers

“Sa mga amyenda po ninyo, malayang makakapagkalakal ang mga banyagang barko ng kanilang imported at exported na kargamento sa kanilang napiling port of destination. Dahil dito, mapapadali at mapapamura ang export at import ng mga produkto, na magbubunsod ng mas masiglang merkado,” he said.

“Sa pinagtibay nating Philippine Competition Act at Liberalization of Philippine Cabotage, ang pagbabagong tinatamasa natin ngayon ay magpapatuloy hanggang sa mga susunod pang henerasyon,” the Chief Executive stressed.

The Philippine Competition Act levels the playing field for all businesses by penalizing anti-competitive agreements and abuses of dominant players, aside from eliminating cartels.

Under the law, a Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) will be established with the Chief Executive appointing a chairperson, four commissioners and an executive director.

As an independent quasi-judicial body, the PCC will look into anti-competitive behaviors, abuses in dominant positions, and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions.

The Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act allows foreign ships carrying imported cargoes and cargoes to be exported out of the country to dock in multiple ports.

With the approval of these two measures, Sen. Bam now has four laws to his credit. Last year, the President approved the Go Negosyo Act and the Philippine Lemon Law.

What is newsworthy?

A few months ago, a tito of mine asked me about what we have been working on in the Senate.

I told him about the Negosyo Centers being put up around the country and we discussed the challenges and implications of the Philippine Competition Act – 30 years in the making and now, finally, ratified and waiting for the President’s signature.

My uncle was surprised to hear of the reforms we were busy working on.  He asked, “Why haven’t I heard of about any of these on the news?”

I teased that he should be more tech-savvy and make a Facebook account so he could like my page and get updates on his virtual newsfeed.

Indeed, the Internet is a great equalizer that allows us to pick and choose what to see, read, and share. We can find any sort of information online, from conspiracy theories to the cutest cat videos. The only question is: what are you interested in?

But, truth be told, while it has been a struggle getting our policies and advocacies out in mainstream media, an even bigger challenge is getting the public interested in the policy discussion.

Since the corruption scandal erupted last year, our headlines seem to be hijacked by Napoles and the PDAF scandals, Makati City Parking Building II investigations, the Mamasapano tragedy and the BBL, and, more recently, survey results and the 2016 elections.

Even on the Internet,where we curate our own personal newspaper, people seem disinterested in anything but the scandals,complaints, fights, and government slip-ups.

While these issues are worthy of attention, we need to fuel our desire to move the discussion further into the much-needed reforms and systemic changes.

Take the news on the potential candidates for the 2016 elections as an example.

No one is asking questions about their vision, goals, and dreams for the country and how they hope to achieve them.

The country is growing leaps and bounds economically while making significant strides in curbing corruption within the government. How will they distribute this wealth throughout the sectors and continue the battle against corruption?

There have been landmark bills passed into law under the current administration, from the K-to-12 basic education program and the RH Act to the opening up of our ports to foreign ships and the Philippine Competition Act. How do they ensure these are implemented well?

Where do they stand in the Mindanao peace process and the Anti-Discrimination Act filed in Congress? How do they hope to unite the country, instill tolerance among our people, and bolster human rights in the Philippines?

We have yet to ask these questions.  But will the answers even be considered newsworthy?

Media outlets, including online and social media, will give the readers what they clamor for. It is our likes, shares, comments, re-tweets, and hash tags that will determine the headlines. Our collective chatter will define what is newsworthy.

The Filipino people have peacefully rallied for their rights against an intimidating dictator and have cried for a change in system, reinstating democracy.We have pushed for justice against the most powerful in our country including sitting Philippine presidents and even a Supreme Court chief justice. We have even called for a change in entrenched systems, successfully abolishing the PDAF.

Is it then too far to hope for our countrymen to seek for concrete, detailed platforms, and sophisticated policies among our leaders?

We have the power to influence the narrative of the 2016 elections.

We can ask our presidentiables questions about their stance on controversial issues. We can demand a concrete platform detailing the policies and programs they wish to put in place to create a better future for the country. We can even hold them to their word and police their administration once they are elected into office.

With our voices and with our votes, we can endeavor to shape the future of our country.We can steer our country in the direction of unyielding public service, inclusive progress, and prosperity for all.That would, truly, be newsworthy.

 


First published on Manila Bulletin

 

 

Congress Ratifies Youth Entrepreneurship Act

Both houses of Congress have ratified the Youth Entrepreneurship Act, seen as an effective tool to address the growing number of jobless young people in the country, which currently stands at 1.32 million.

“With its imminent passage into law, the government can now meet the challenges of youth unemployment head on,” said Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Youth, and Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“The passage of this law only shows that the government is serious in addressing youth unemployment, which I consider as a growing epidemic that should be looked into immediately,” added the senator.

In their latest report, the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) and National Statistics Office (NSO) said that there are 1.32 million youth from ages 15 to 24 years old as of January 2015.

“This is unacceptable because we have a lot of promising youth whose talents are going down the drain because of lack of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam said that European countries have provided billions of Euros worth of loans for the youth to help them start their own businesses.

The measure aims to change the public school curriculum and paradigm, as it creates financial literacy modules in all levels of Philippine education, to inclucate a culture of enterprise development among the Filipino youth.

“This Act has the potential to revolutionize our mindset as a people from wanting to be an employee of a company to being a boss of their own enterprise,” Sen. Bam emphasized.

The Act also provides would-be youth entrepreneurs access to financing, training, market linkages, and other means of support that will help them run and develop their own business.

Bam on Price Fixing and Cartels (‘Umagang Kay Ganda’ Interview)

Q: Pag pinag-uusapan ang Fair Competition, ang isip ng tao, blue market economy. Pang-karaniwang tao ito?

Sen. Bam: Well actually, ang Philippine Competition Act, pasado na ito. Hinihintay na lang iyong pirma ni Presidente. This is actually a landmark bill. Ito ang isa sa pinaka-landmark bill ng 16thCongress.

Sabi nga nila, longest-running bill in Congress. Almost 25 years na itong nakabimbim sa Kongreso. Sabi nga ng maraming eksperto, dapat after World War II pa ito naipasa. Because of vested interest, hindi ito mapasa-pasa.

Finally, napasa natin ito. So we’re very proud of this bill. We’re hoping mapirmahan na ito ng Presidente. Ang lalabanan ito, mga kartel, mga abuses of dominant players. Pabor talaga ito sa ating taumbayan, especially iyong mga namimili.

Q: Ano ang pakinabang ng mga sasakay sa tricycle ngayon, pupunta sa palengke diyan sa panukalang iyan?

Sen. Bam: Unang-una alam naman natin na may nagmamanipula ng presyo ng bilihin. Of course ang pinakasikat diyan ang garlic at onion. 

Mga iba’t ibang mga negosyante, mag-uusap-usap, o hindi muna tayo maglalabas ng mga produkto, pataasin natin. Pagtaas ng presyo, babanatan natin iyong merkado. That’s called price fixing.

Sa ating bansa, hindi malinaw ang batas na nilalabag nila. With this law, pag napasa na ito, malinaw na malinaw puwede mo silang kasuhan ng price fixing among competitors.

Iyong isa pa riyan, iyong tinatawag na abuses of dominant position. Iyong malalaking kumpanya hindi pinapayagan ang mga maliliit na pumasok sa merkado. Kanya-kanyang girian iyan, kanya-kanyang box out iyan.

Kaya for certain industries, kakaunti ang players diyan, kakaunti lang ang mga kumpanya. Alam natin na kapag kakaunti lang ang kumpanya, mataas ang presyo, hindi maganda ang kalidad. That’s also now prohibited.

Q: Kung ano lang ang ibigay ng negosyante, iyon lang ang tatanggapin…

Sen. Bam: Iyon ang monopolyo, wala kang choice. But if itong malalaking players naman, kung lahat sila, patas-patas ang laban, level playing field, whether malaki ka o maliit ka, puwede kang makipagsabayan sa merkado, pabor iyon sa mga tao.

Ang third, iyong tinatawag na mergers and acquisitions. Kapag may malalaking kumpanya, nagsasanib sila, the Philippine Competition Commission, na binubuo ng Philippine Competition Act, puwede silang magsabi na hindi puwedeng magsama ang mga kumpanyang iyan.

Kapag nagsama iyan, masyadong mako-concentrate ang kapangyarihan sa merkadong iyan. You cannot merge. So very powerful ang mabubuong opisina ng Philippine Competition Act, ang Philippine Competition Commission.

Sa ibang bansa, normal iyan e. Kumbaga competition policy is already normal in all the rest of the world. Tayo po, huling-huli tayo dito. Finally, kapag naipasa po ito, masasabi nating nakikipagsabayan na tayo sa buong mundo.

Q: Dito po sa Southeast Asia, pang-ilan tayo doon sa nagkaroon ng competition policy.

Sen. Bam: If I’m not mistaken, tayo ang isa sa pinakahuli. Iyong last na nagkaroon ng competition policy was Malaysia in 2012. But if you look at Europe and the US, 20s, 30s, 40s, 1940s pa iyong kanilang competition policy.  Iyong Japan actually had their competition policy after World War II.

So talagang panahon na magkaroon na ng polisiyang ito. Malabanan natin ang kartel, malabanan natin ang abuses ng mga monopolyo at masiguro nating fair ang merkado sa ating namimili.

Q: Ilang araw na lang ang hinihintay natin bago ito pirmahan ng Pangulo?

Sen. Bam: I’m hoping mapirmahan ito bago ang SONA. Because I think maganda itong i-announce during the State of the Nation. Nakakatawa nga e, itong bill na ito ang pinaka-importanteng bill na hindi alam ng mga tao.

Hindi po talaga siya napag-uusapan but we worked very hard for this bill. Iyong bicam po nito, apat na araw, over 30 hours ng deliberations.  Napakatagal po at napakahirap buuin, but we feel once this bill is passed, pabor po ito sa maliliit na negosyante at pabor sa ating namimili.

Q: Malapit sa sikmura. Maraming salamat Senador Bam Aquino.

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