Bills

Senate Bill No. 677: Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Free Regulatory Act

You found that you are out of cash without your preferred Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in sight, worrying about what charges you may incur should you use a rival bank’s ATM. Yet, you refuse to keep a large sum of cash on hand for fear of theft or robbery.

The most convenient ATM however is often one of a different bank than the ATM cardholder who is unknowingly charged PhPlS.OO1for each withdrawal at a non-native bank or PhP2.00 for a balance inquiry. Whilst banks incur costs to facilitate interbank transactions, it is a cardholder’s right to be informed of the exact extra charge they will incur before every point of transaction, and to be able to cancel the transaction to avoid incurring the extra charge.

This bill proposes that all financial institutions be required to inform cardholders of extra charges they will incur during each ATM transaction. In addition, this bill proposes to minimize the cost of using ATMs by ensuring that during interbank transactions, only one fee will be charged to the cardholder instead of both banks charging the customer. Lastly, this bill proposes to limit any additional fee to 1% of the total transaction value.

This bill would safeguard ATM cardholders from surprise fees and would allow them to make the decision to opt out of an ATM transaction should they be unwilling to pay the extra fee. With the passing of this bill, both cardholders and financial institutions will benefit from the availability of safe, convenient transactions at an efficient cost.

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

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 677

Senate Bill No. 676: Safer Internet Day (SID) Act

The Internet has been integrated into the daily lives of billions around the world, with the Philippines ranked 16thout of 196 nations in 2014 with over 39 million local Internet users1.

Thanks to the World Wide Web, families here and abroad stay connected, news is readily available, our disaster preparedness has improved, and the business landscape is forever changed.

This bill calls for the celebration of National Safer Internet Day to acknowledge both the challenges and opportunities brought forth by this technology that has been integrated in the lives of families, communities and the country.

Through the celebration of National Safer Internet Day, the public would be made aware of the importance of creating a safe, secure and favorable online environment.

The Internet exposes the public to a wealth of information and varying perceptions. The lack of safeguards and controls on the web has allowed cyber abuses never before thought of.

What’s more, the Internet is con.stantly growing and changing. We are only beginning to understand its implications and tap into its capabilities.

National Safer Internet Day should be an annual reminder of our responsibilities as patrons of the Internet.

Beyond this, it is also a venue to discuss the constantly changing landscape of the World Wide Web and discover how best to maximize the ever-expanding online realm.

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

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 676

Senate Bill No. 918: World-Class Filmmakers’ Grant Act

The Philippines is home to award-winning filmmakers and artists. In the most recent Cannes Film Festival, a Filipina actress won the award for Best Actress in a film that portrayed living in poverty in the Philippines.

Filmmaking is a valuable part of our artistic landscape and is one way that we can showcase Filipino talent to audiences at home and around the world.

To enable and reward Filipino filmmakers, this bill seeks to provide incentives for the screening of award-winning films, and to award grants for talented Filipino filmmakers and artists who have won.

This bill seeks to provide incentives for the screening of award-winning films, and benefits through grants for the further creation of Filipino films under the creative control of award-winning filmmakers and artists.

The following are the salient features of the measure:

(a) Grant for Film producer of Best Film;
(b) Grant to award-winning cast and crew members; and
(c) Automatic “A” rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 918

Senate Bill No. 675: National Amateur Sports Training Center Act

The development of grassroots sports in the country has long been overdue. Despite the Filipinos’ love for sports and athletics, support to achieve sustained excellence in sports from the private and public sector has been lacking.

With limited resources, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has sought to support our national athletes with a proper support system, international exposure, monthly training stipends and adequate training equipment. One major gap is a state-of-the-art facility where budding athletes can be turned into national champions and world icons.

Thus, the bill proposes the establishment of the National Sports Training Center (NSTC) to provide amateur athletes the facility they need for a more apt, focused and scientific training with the hope of nurturing our next generation of world-class athletes.

The NSTC would not only serve as the official venue of training for athletes, but it would also be the center for sports science research and development.

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


PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 675

Senate Bill No. 698: Reducing the Corporate Income Tax Rate

We are working towards a vision of the private sector where bustling local enterprises coexist, cooperate, and collaborate with foreign companies, all contributing to a fair, innovative, and socially conscious Philippine business environment.

Over the past years, macroeconomic factors suggest that we are on the right track with our stellar economic growth, much improved credit ratings, and the highest capital investment of US$8.74 billion from inward FDI in the last six years with over 58,000 associated jobs created in 2015.

However, there is still a lot we can do to attract and retain foreign investors to stimulate even more economic growth and achieve prosperity for more Filipinos. Furthermore, we must seize the opportunity to be a leader in the ASEAN as we harmonize our economies as a region.

It is imperative that we evaluate our corporate tax system. At present, we have the highest corporate income tax rate in the ASEAN at 30%. When the ASEAN Economic Community Declaration was signed, most members began to lower their own corporate income tax rates. Thailand gradually reduced its corporate income tax rate from 30% to 23%, and now it stands at 20%. Vietnam also lowered its corporate income tax rate from 25% to 20%. The average corporate income tax rate in the ASEAN is at 23%.

For the Philippines to attract more investors and to lure in more capital, we must be able to compete with our peers. Though this may result in a lower revenue collection for the government, the multiplier effect of having more investment, expanding our tax base and increasing economic activities will be tremendous.

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


PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 698

Senate Bill No. 704: Basic Education Teachers Pay Increase Act

Accompanying the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, education reforms that were jumpstarted in recent years have been encouraging. These reforms sought to address backlogs in the building of classrooms and facilities, reorient systems for purchasing textbooks and other school supplies to curb corruption, and add teaching and non-teaching personnel to address the growing needs of schools. Truly, it is an exciting time for the Philippine public school system, with growing recognition that the Filipino student must be given the best education and learning experience to compete in the tough job market.

Unfortunately, our public school teachers, on whom we depend on to facilitate this experience, have been largely left out in these reforms. Even if education has the highest allocation in the national budget, teacher salaries have remained low, forcing teachers to be creative in their monthly subsistence. For an entry level position of Teacher 1, a duly licensed teacher receives a gross monthly salary of Php 19, 077 (Salary Grade 11, Step I)1. For a non­ teaching personnel, the gross monthly salary is Php 9,478 (Salary Grade 1, Step I)2. Even without the deductions, the figures are not attractive.

With the increasing cost of living, teachers and other school personnel must tighten their belts to get by on their modest salaries. They turn to loan agents, government and private, to make ends meet. They go into debt in order to provide for their families’ needs, even to the extent that the entirety of their salary end up going to loan payments. This dire situation makes it unattractive for the brightest graduates to take on the public school education career. Furthermore, seasoned educators are forced to leave their vocation for practical reasons – to seek greener pastures in other industries or even abroad.

It is pivotal for national development to add support and proper compensation for our teachers, as they shape and form the country’s future. Additional benefits would make a public education career not only noble, but practical and sustainable as well. Moreover, it helps enable our best and the brightest teachers to stay true to their calling and make a significant contribution to nation-building.

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 704

Senate Bill No. 703: Community Disaster Warehouse Bill

In the past few years, the country has been battered by more than twenty typhoons a year, with an increasing number in the super-typhoon category.

As super-typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) hit Eastern Visayas, particularly Leyte, last year, Filipinos who were seriously affected needed to contend with an insurmountable shortage of food, clean water, medicine and first aid, and clothing to weather the storm. Supplies weren’t able to reach the survivors immediately due to wrecked ports, airports and roads.

Thus, it is important that every community in the country be equipped and prepared for disasters, and make relief and basic goods as accessible as possible. The first few days after storms or earthquakes hit are crucial in mitigating further tragedies to individuals and families.

Hence, the establishment of community disaster warehouses aims to extend assistance to survivors of calamities, natural or man-made, by ensuring access to basic goods and prime commodities.

It intends for goods sold in these warehouses to be tax-exempt, and ensure that goods in the market would be available to avoid hoarding in affected areas. Furthermore, it seeks to protect citizens from price manipulation during times of crisis.

This intervention is important for the days and weeks right after the calamity to enable people and communities to start rebuilding and normalizing their lives.

Equipping communities with proper mechanism to assist its people during adversity is empowering and inclusive towards a nation that works for all.

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

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 703

Senate Bill No. 702: Permanent Residency for Qualified Religious Workers Act

Foreign religious workers and missionaries have played an important role not only in the faith life of Filipino communities, but also in promoting the welfare of the poor through outreach work and social missions. They have sacrificed and left the comfort of their homes to live away from their families without expecting or asking for anything in return. They have chosen not just to share their talents and skills but also intend to live the rest of their lives and die serving the Filipino people. We are honored to have their experiences one with the people whose life we welcome in our country.

This bill seeks to amend Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. It is our intent to relieve foreign religious workers of the burdensome requirements and procedures for staying in the country and performing their chosen vocation here that benefits our communities. This bill seeks to assist the many religious workers who have already dedicated long years of their lives to their missionary work and vocation in the country.

This measure is also part of the proposed reforms to update our antiquated immigration law to better address the changing needs and demands of the Philippines, as a member of an increasingly globalized and interconnected international community.

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

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 702

Senate Bill No. 715: Solo Parents’ Welfare Act

Raising children and nurturing a healthy family is a major challenge to parents and takes a great deal of time, effort, patience, and learning. For solo parents, the challenge is even more daunting.

To make the situation worse, the financial burden as breadwinner adds to the stress and pressure of solo parents. As such, this measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8972 or the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000 to add benefits for solo parents, increase penalties for non-compliance, and enhance the effectiveness of the law’s implementation.

Through these amendments, solo parents will be awarded a 10% discount on clothing for their child and a 15% discount on baby’s milk and food up to two years from childbirth.

A 15% discount from medicine and medical supply purchases until 5 years from childbirth as well as a 10% discount from tuition fees will also be awarded.

Lastly, a personal tax exemption of Php50,000 can be claimed by single parents, allowing them to take home a larger portion of their income to invest in their family’s future.

Let us give them the support they need to provide a bright future for families of solo parents.

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

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 715

Senate Bill No. 706: Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act

Recently, outbound passengers have been apprehended at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and have fallen victim to the tanim-bala (planting bullets) scam.

A 65-year old woman on her way to Singapore to watch her nephew play soccer1a 56-year old domestic helper bound for Hong Kong to go back to work2, and an 18-year old choir member on her way to South Korea for a competition were some of the victims of the scandal.

Activities that jeopardize the safety and security of the public are clearly unacceptable. We must build a secure, orderly, and just nation for our tourists, foreign and local investors, and, most importantly, our own citizens.

Clearly, a scam that is unsupportive of our efforts to raise government service standards for the Filipino people should be stopped immediately. As investigations have been ordered, it is also imperative to look at policy proposals and interventions that fully address the issue.

The Iwas Tanim Bala Bill aims to decriminalize acquisition, possession and carriage of three bullets or less in the country and shall not constitute as a criminal offense under this Act. The measure also aims to make security efforts more efficient and to enable security stakeholders to focus on real and grave threats.

Let us continue refining our policies into those that will truly serve our people, especially the common Filipino, and effectively continue the fight to eradicate lawlessness in the country.

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

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 706

Scroll to top