Bills by Bam Aquino

Bam: Support for troubled youth to curb suicide and drug use

A senator wants to create a mental health program for the youth to reduce the rate of suicide attempts and drug use among young Filipinos.

“We should provide troubled youth with professional support and a place of refuge so they don’t resort to drugs or even suicide,” Sen. Bam Aquino said in Senate Bill No. 657 or the Adolescents and Youth Mental Health Program Act.

In a fast urbanizing nation, Sen. Bam said the youth find themselves facing increasing amounts of pressure while being exposed to negative influences.

According to latest report by the Dangerous Drugs Board in 2015, around 49 percent of first-time drug users belong to the age group of 15-19 years old.

The World Health Organization also found that in 2011, 16 percent of Filipino students aged 13 to 15 had contemplated suicide, while 13 percent had attempted suicide.

The bill proposes the creation of a Mental Health Program for the youth aged 15 to 30 years old, to be implemented by the Department of Health, in conjunction with various other government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

 If enacted into law, every public or private educational institution must employ at least one qualified guidance counselor who is authorized as a mental health practitioner to provide support and advice to students.

“We must ensure that the next generation of Filipinos are mentally resilient and don’t fall prey to drug use,” the senator stressed.

The WHO observes every October 10 as the World Mental Health Day.

 

BIDA KA!: Trabaho Centers

Mga bida, isa sa mga isinusulong natin sa Senado ay matugunan ang problema ng kawalan ng hanapbuhay ng ating mga kababayan, lalo na ng mga kabataan.

Sa Hulyo 2015, nasa 6.5% ng mga Pilipino ang walang trabaho habang 21% ang underemployed o mayroong trabaho ngunit mas mababa ang antas at sahod kum­para sa kanilang kakayahan. Kasama rin sa underemployed ang mga umaasang makahanap ng full-time na trabaho ngunit part-time lang ang kanilang mahanap.

Pagdating naman sa tinatawag na youth unemployment, nasa 15.7% ng mga kabataan ang walang hanapbuhay sa bansa.

Isa sa mga pangunahing dahilan na itinuturo rito ay ang jobs mismatch o ang kawalan ng sapat na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga naghihintay na trabaho sa merkado.

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May kanya-kanyang programa ang mga kaukulang ahensiya ng pamahalaan, tulad ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Education (DepEd) at Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) upang masolusyunan ang problemang ito.

Ngunit napag-alaman natin sa hearing ng Committee on E­ducation na ang kalahati ng solusyon ay ginagawa na ng DepEd at TESDA habang ang ilang bahagi naman ay ginagampanan na ng DOLE.

Ang kulang lang ay kung paano mapag-uugnay ang mga prog­ramang ito, ang mga paaralan, at ang pribadong sektor upang lalong maging epektibo sa pagtugon sa problema sa kawalan ng hanapbuhay at jobs mismatch.

Isa sa mga nakikita nating solusyon dito ay ang paglalagay ng Trabaho Center sa bawat Senior High School (SHS) sa bansa na nakapaloob sa aking Senate Bill No. 170.

Sa tulong ng nasabing panukala, mapag-uugnay ang pri­badong sektor na nangangailangan ng empleyado at ang mga programa sa edukasyon at training ng iba’t ibang paaralan para sakto ang kaalaman at kasanayan ng mga graduates sa nag­aantay na trabaho.

 

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Natutuwa naman tayo at nagpahayag ng buong suporta ang iba’t ibang ahensiya at pribadong stakeholders sa aking pa­nukala nang magsagawa tayo ng hearing ukol sa Trabaho Centers kamakailan.

Kapag ito’y naisabatas, magkakaroon ng Trabaho Center o job placement centers sa bawat Senior High School sa bansa na tutulong sa SHS graduates na makahanap ng trabaho na akma sa kanilang kaalaman.

Sa pagtaya, nasa 50% ng Senior High School students ay hindi na tutuloy sa kolehiyo at maghahanap na ng trabaho pagka-graduate.

Dito na papasok ang Trabaho Center, na siyang tututok sa tatlong malaking bagay — career counseling services, employment facilitation at industry matching.

Mahalagang masiguro na ang magtatapos sa ilalim ng K to 2 program ay may sapat na kaalaman at kakayahan upang tugunan ang kailangang trabaho sa merkado.

Maganda rin kung alam ng SHS graduates ang kalagayan ng job market sa lugar kung saan sila nakatira, kung anu-ano ang mga oportunidad sa kanilang paligid at trabaho na maaari nilang pasukan.

Sa ganitong paraan, matutugunan ang jobs mismatch, na isa sa sinisisi sa mataas na antas ng youth unemployment.

Maliban dito, hindi masasayang ang pagod ng ating mga guro, estudyante, at pati ng kanilang mga magulang.

Pagtapos ng Senior High School, dapat may angkop na trabahong naghihintay para sa mga nagtapos.

Kasabay ng pagtatapos ng unang batch ng Grade 12 sa 2018, umaasa tayo na nakapuwesto na rin ang ating Trabaho Centers upang mabigyan sila ng agarang tulong para makakita ng trabahong pasok sa kanilang kaalaman at kasanayan.

Senate Bill No. 916: Comprehensive Nursing Act

The Philippines is the largest exporter of nurses in the world and Filipino nurses have proven to be one of the most highly skilled assets of our country. Sadly, nurses continue to be undervalued at home and vulnerable to dangerously long working hours and exploitative employment arrangements. Further, despite there being 200,000 underemployed or unemployed nurses, healthcare is still lacking in many rural areas.

If we invested in harnessing the massive potential of our existing healthcare professionals, we can address this healthcare shortage with a strong, competent, and professionally-regulated nursing board.

This bill seeks the creation of a Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing (PRBN) that will be responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the nursing profession are hlld up to standards of excellence. The PRBN will be mandated to promulgate quality standards of nursing education, research, practice, and management.

Through this measure, we will set a standard for academic excellence for all nursing programs in line with the Policies, Standards and Guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education.

The PRBN shall also implement an Advanced Practice Nursing Program which will provide professional development opportunities to existing nurses. Through this program, nurses can expand their skill base, assume more responsibilities on the medical floor, and be better able to serve our countrymen.

Most importantly, this bill aims to protect the welfare of our nurses and uplift the nursing profession by initiating studies on how healthcare professionals should be trained, managed, and developed in an organization, ensuring that working conditions and compensation are compliant with the Code of Ethics for nursing.

Filipino nurses must be empowered with better education, a broader skill base, and more viable opportunities within the country. Ultimately this will uplift the nursing profession while providing better healthcare to all Filipinos. 

In view of the foregoing and to ascertain our commitment to the Filipino people, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 

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Senate Bill No. 696: Rideshare Support Company Act

The rain is pouring heavily and commuters are muddled together under the shade. Taxi queues are long and winding yet taxis are nowhere in sight.

Those that decide to brave the rain in search for a cab ride are met with picky drivers or unreasonable contracted rates. To make matters worse, stories of robbery perpetrated by malicious taxi drivers, has left passengers with a justifiable fear and distrust of taxis.

In any industry, increased competition would often lead to improved quality, improved service, and lower prices for consumers. For the commuting public, this is a change they have long clamored for.

Recent technological innovations ushered in an era of ride sharing, giving commuters the option of securing convenient, safe, and affordable rides through internet-based applications.

The DOTC has already recognized these innovations “as a driver for progress” and as one of the solutions to “help address the increasing demand for mobility spurred by rapid urbanization.”

In support of these innovations, the DOTC issued a Memorandum Circular (MC) in 2015 to recognize these ride-sharing services under a new category called “Transportation Network Vehicle Service” and allowed them to operate within the agency’s existing regulatory framework.

While the release of the MC is a significant milestone for the promotion of ride-sharing services in the country, there is a need for legislation to create and institutionalize an appropriate regulatory framework for this new type of service and to distinguish it from public transport services.

The proposed bill clarifies the regulations governing Transportation Network Companies, referred to in the bill as “Rideshare Support Companies”, as well as Rideshare Network Drivers and Vehicles.

This measure seeks to promote and encourage new, affordable transportation options and ensure the safety of the riding the public by imposing safety and financial responsibility standards and requirements. 

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 


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Senate Bill No. 917: Filipino Identification System Act

A list of of valid IDs in the Philippines enumerates 33 different forms of identification that are obtained from various government agencies. Often, a different form of identification will be required of a Filipino citizen depending on the service or government agency involved. The bureaucracy, red tape, and wasted time involved in procuring and releasing each different form of identification is economically inefficient for both the government and its citizens. This also hinders the timely delivery of public services to ordinary Filipinos who bear the opportunity cost of applying and waiting for their IDs.

The proliferation of various forms of government identification obtained separately from different agencies also makes the government identification systems vulnerable to discrepancies and identity fraud.

If we are to continue our pursuit to provide high quality social services to all Filipinos in an effective and timely manner, we must take the necessary steps in unifying the identification system which will allow us to have better control and more efficient interaction between citizens and the government.

This bill seeks to establish a unified Filipino Identification System, to be implemented by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA will manage the Filipino Citizen Registry – a master database of all registered Filipinos. Every Filipino citizen, including those born or residing overseas, will be assigned a unique Common Reference Number at birth and will only be required to renew this ID upon reaching the age of majority and again upon reaching the age of 60. This ID shall be used as the sole required identification in any government transaction and will be provided free of charge as part of the government’s social responsibility.

In pursuing a national identification system, Filipinos will have a more efficient experience with government transactions and the government will benefit from a thorough database of information on Filipino citizens. This will also pave the way to more effective ways of delivering government services such as anti-poverty programs and other social services to improve the quality of life for all.

In view of the foregoing and to ascertain our commitment to the Filipino people, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Senate Bill No. 691: Value-Added Tax on Non-Essential Goods

Whether young or old, ingrained in the Filipino psyche and in our daily hygiene is the use of baby cologne.

In a survey of Filipino consumers, baby colognes ranked second only to shampoo in regular usage, placing it above powder, lotion, and hand sanitizers.1

Further, 98% of the splash cologne consumers are from the economic classes C, D, and Ewith Class D taking up 54% of the market share.7

This Act aims to recognize splash cologne as an essential good, setting it apart from perfumes and other luxury fragrances by ascertaining the concentration of the essential oils or perfume in the product.

The proposed amendment is in line with the legal definition already set by Revenue Regulations No. 8 to 84.3

By aligning and streamlining the definition for baby cologne or “toilet water” and recognizing such as an essential good and taxing them accordingly, we will be able to protect our low-income households from unnecessary surges in prices of their inexpensive, but fragrant cologne, and at the same time, provide appropriate support to the baby cologne industry.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Senate Bill No. 648: Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Assistance Act

From the malls of Hong Kong to the souqs of the Middle East and even on massive vessels navigating through borderless seas, you’ll find talented Filipinos diligently working to build a brighter future for their family.

They aren’t only keeping their loved ones above water financially; they are also keeping the Philippine economy afloat with remittances reaching $16.21 billion or P764 billion from January to August 2015.

Even with their contribution, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) remain vulnerable to poor working conditions and abusive employers.

In addition, their employment abroad is no guarantee of financial success.

In a survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas last September 2015, only 38.2% of the 563 household-respondents said that a portion of the money from OFWs are set aside for savings.

There are still too many OFWs that come home without a plan for retirement. Keeping in mind our duty to empower and uplift every Filipino, the OFW Protection Act bolsters our support for the OFW community and the families they leave back home.

This measure ensures our OFWs safety by strictly monitoring and assessing accredited partner agencies and mandating the Public Attorney’s Office to establish a help­ desk in every international port of exit in the Philippines to offer legal service, assistance and advice to departing migrant workers.

Acknowledging the immense power in access to credible information, this measure orders effective and efficient information dissemination on labor, employment, and migration data through various mediums, including social media.

Lastly, to truly achieve prosperity for every Filipino family, this measure integrates programs on livelihood, entrepreneurship, savings, investments and financial literacy to the existing efforts of embassies.

This is our opportunity show our gratitude and appreciation to our overseas Filipinos while fulfilling our duty as public servants.

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Senate Bill No. 647: Sustainable Transport Network Act

The development of transportation infrastructure is pivotal to the growth of the nation. Wealth and opportunities ply through roads connecting communities, on board vehicles that bear the riches of our land. But it’s not without its own consequences. The development derived from every road built also spurs the demand for more vehicles. And when road networks reach their carrying capacities, when they become congested, expedient and convenient transportation is stunted and the emission from motorized vehicles amplify health and environmental hazards.

The State must endeavor to reverse this trend by balancing the demand for transportation and for healthy and livable communities for all. Transportation must be made sustainable. The State must endeavor the reduction of emissions, and the maximization of alternate modes of transportation with little to no harmful impact on our health and the environment.

This measure seeks to develop a National Sustainable Mobility Network Plan through the Department of Transportation and Communication that shall guide LGUs in developing a local version of this plan in coordination with the Local Bikeways Office to be established in all LGUs, creating facilities and programs that shall prioritize and endorse the shift to the use of non-motorized vehicles, public transportation, and intermodal transportation involving both.

Further, programs contained herein are designed to set the tone of for immediate and long-term government support for users of non-motorized transporCation, and encourage private sector participation in the goals of this measure.

It is high that we revisit State policy towards transportation, and for us to champion the new paradigm in the movement of people and things: “Those that have less in wheels must have more in roads.”

In view of the foregoing, the early approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Senate Bill No. 684: Rural Employment Assistance (REAP) Act

It is our directive to ensure that as the Philippine economy grows and thrives, all Filipinos grow and thrive together. One of our mandates is to promote inclusive growth and spread wealth and opportunity across the country.

As such, we need to take a look at our rural communities and provide opportunities to those along the countryside and within our islands, beginning with our least fortunate countrymen.

Considering that almost 80% of Filipinos living in poverty reside in our rural areas1, we are in urgent need of measures to combat poverty and unemployment beyond our cities and urban hubs in the short and long term.

The Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) Act is one such policy for the short term, which aims to provide heads of poor families in rural areas fair wages for temporary unskilled work.

This bill not only addresses the issue of unemployment in rural areas, it also involves our less fortunate citizens in nation building as we provide other measures that will help them pursue permanent employment.

The REAP Act mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to hire unemployed Filipinos to maintain, build, and rehabilitate shared, public facilities and livelihood assets within their community.

Let us bring opportunities, wealth, and capacity to the Philippine islands, especially in the countryside. Let every Filipino reap the fruits of our positive progress and development.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Senate Bill No. 692: Corporation Code

The Philippines is enjoying the best economic growth it has seen in years and has deemed to be a rising star in the region. But the challenge remains to enhance the local markets and business environment in order for investments to continuously come in. Updating pertinent laws is needed to keep up with the fast-changing business landscape and sustain this unprecedented progress.

This measure seeks to introduce key amendments to Batas Pambansa Blg. 68 or the Corporation Code, which was passed in 1980 or more than three decades ago.

Two key provisions aim to address the needs of entrepreneurs in the country.

Firstly, a sole proprietor presently needs to have incorporators of five to fifteen individuals to be able to register with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). The policy has created cases for dummy incorporators.

In addition, sole proprietorship exposes all the properties of the entrepreneur for the business’ liabilities. Such exposure risks all of the assets of the proprietor, even his family’s properties.

To address these, this measure recommends the recognition of the one-person corporation to encourage entrepreneurs to declare truthful and transparent information about their businesses, limit liabilities and spare family assets, and further grow their businesses.

Secondly, the law currently provides for a limited corporate term of 50 years maximum. Many big firms forget to renew after 50 years and they end up dissolving the company, liquidating their assets and transferring their properties. This unfortunate event leads to loss of income and livelihood for families, and the loss of legacy and dreams for entrepreneurs and employees.

The bill seeks to allow corporations to have perpetual corporation existence but with renewal requirements every 25 years. Failure to comply with the requirements will not end corporate existence but penalties will be imposed. It allows a corporation to develop long-term plans and to look into more sustainable and far-reaching strategies for more economic growth.

 

Other related provisions have been proposed to make the policy relevant and attuned to present times, adopt global best practices, attract more investments and start-ups in the country and specifically address the needs of entrepreneurs.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.


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