PHInternet

Sen. Bam: Don’t forget public schools in free WIFI rollout

Don’t forget our public schools and state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Senator Bam Aquino issued this call as the government prepares the rollout of Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet Access Program in Public Places, which he pushed in the Senate as principal sponsor and co-author, saying Filipino students will benefit from free internet as a vital tool to further enrich their knowledge.

“Internet is an important tool in learning. Students are empowered by the internet in learning lessons, completing assignments, and research,” said Sen. Bam, principal sponsor and co-author of the measure in the Senate in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

“Magagamit din ito ng ating mga guro para mapabuti ang kanilang mga sistema ng pagtuturo,” added Sen. Bam.

Republic Act 10929 provides free internet access in all national and local government offices, public schools, public transport terminals, public hospitals and public libraries.

 “This will expand internet access across public spaces in the Philippines, including public schools to aid in teaching methods and enhance learning,” the senator said.

In addition, the law contains provisions for the faster processing of permits for internet infrastructure, which is designed to fast-track the improvement in the country’s internet backbone.

As part of its mandate under the law, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is tasked to craft a plan and a timeline for the rollout of the program.

In its latest report, the DICT said it’s planning to establish 250,000 Wi-Fi access points in public places throughout the country until 2022.

During this stint as chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship in the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam spearheaded an investigation into the slow and expensive internet in the country.

The probe helped determine needed legislations to address the internet problem in the country and led to the release of a Department of Justice opinion on telco advertising.

The hearing also compelled the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to come out with guidelines on minimum internet speeds and conducted speed testing in various areas of the Philippines to check compliance of telcos.

As the current chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, Sen. Bam is principal sponsor of the free internet reform. He also filed Senate Bill No. 171 or the Open Access in Data Transmission Act of 2016, which has yet to be passed into law to enable more players into and promote competition in the internet industry.

Principal sponsors have the responsibility of prioritizing bills in their respective committees, conducting hearings on bills assigned to their committee, defending the measures during the period of interpellation, consolidating proposals and amendments to their reforms, and leading the bicameral conference before a bill is passed into law.

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Bam: New players needed to improve PH internet service

Sen. Bam Aquino still sees increased market competition as the quickest, cheapest and best solution to improve the country’s Internet service.

“The national broadband plan is a good step but increasing competition and getting more players in the telco industry is still the quickest, most sustainable solution,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

 In previous committee hearings, Sen. Bam said it was determined by various stakeholders that more players are needed to improve Internet service while keeping prices reasonable.

 “This was the most significant finding during our Senate hearings on our slow and expensive internet in the country,” said Sen. Bam.

“It was true then, it’s true now. We have to make it easier for new internet providers to enter our market,” the senator added.

Aside from pushing for the government’s national broadband plan to improve Internet access across the country, Sen. Bam is also working for the passage of Senate Bill No. 1277 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which he sponsored and co-authored.

Sen. Bam is the co-author and principal sponsor of Republic Act 10667 or the Philippine Competition Act, which encourages healthy and fair competition in local industries by penalizing bad market behavior and abuse of dominant positions.

Senate Bill No. 1277 is expected to hurdle its third and final reading in the Senate next week.

Sen. Bam to DICT: Present approved nat’l broadband plan to stakeholders

With the approval of the national broadband plan, Sen. Bam Aquino called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to present it stakeholders, experts and other concerned groups for suggestion and scrutiny.

“Masaya tayo’t inaprubahan na ng pamahalaan ang national broadband plan na makatutulong upang mapaganda ang kalidad at mapalawak ang sakop ng internet sa bansa,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

“Now that the plan is approved, we call on DICT to present it to stakeholders, experts and other concerned organizations for scrutiny and suggestion to ensure that it will be an effective one,” he added.

 According to Sen. Bam, the committee will conduct a hearing where the DICT can provide details of the plan, which was approved by President Duterte during Monday’s 13th Cabinet meeting.

 During last year’s committee hearing, Sen. Bam said the DICT presented three options to implement the P75-billion plan, including its preferred way of investing in Internet infrastructure, like fiber optic cables, especially in underserved and hard-to-reach areas.

Under this option, the government will also use the existing infrastructure of current players while encouraging new players to develop new Internet infrastructure.

 The DICT is expected to come out with a final national broadband plan by the 2nd quarter of 2017. The project is expected to be finished in about 2 to 3 years.

Sen. Bam is the principal sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1277 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act, which is being currently tackled in the plenary.

If enacted into law, free internet access will be provided in all national and local government offices, public schools, public transport terminals, public hospitals and public libraries.

 Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 1050 is included in Senate Bill No. 1277. It seeks to connect all public educational institutions to the internet to help students enhance their personal and academic development.

BIDA KA!: Libreng internet sa pampublikong lugar

Mga bida, bukod sa Pagkaing Pinoy Para sa Batang Pinoy Act at Trabaho Centers in Schools Act, tumayo rin tayo bilang sponsor ng Senate Bill No. 1277 o ang “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act” bago natapos ang sesyon ng Senado kamakailan.

Ang Senate Bill No. 1277 pinagsama-samang bersiyon ng iba’t ibang panukala, kabilang na ang ating Senate Bill No. 1050, na layong lagyan ng koneksiyon ng internet ang lahat ng pampublikong paaralan upang makatulong sa pag-aaral ng mga estudyante.

Layunin po ng panukalang ito na lagyan ng libreng koneksiyon sa internet ang lahat ng national at local government ­offices, public schools, public transport terminals, public ­hospitals at public libraries.

Bilang chairman ng Committee on Science and Techno­logy, pinangunahan po natin ang pagdinig ng mga nasabing panukala at pagbalangkas sa bersiyon nito na isinumite kamakailan sa plenaryo.

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Sa mga paunang pagdinig, nabatid na nasa 52.6 percent lang ng mga Pilipino ang may access sa internet service. Napakalayo nito kumpara sa Singapore, na may 81.3 percent at sa Malaysia na may 68 percent.

Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang ganitong sitwasyon dahil napakahalaga ng internet sa buhay ng mga Pilipino.

Maraming umaasa sa internet sa pag-aaral, sa trabaho at sa pakikipag-usap sa mga mahal sa buhay, maging dito man sa Pilipinas o sa ibang bansa.

Mahalaga ang internet sa mga anak para makausap ang kanilang mga ama na nasa ibang bansa para humingi ng payo.

Importante ang internet sa mga call center agent dahil ito ang nag-uugnay sa kanila at kanilang mga kausap sa ibang bansa.

 

Para sa freelancers, ito’y kailangan para makausap ng maayos ang kliyente at mapadala ang hinihinging trabaho.

Para sa negosyanteng Pinoy, ito’y nagagamit sa pagbe­benta ng gamit o paghahanap ng mga bagong supplier.

Para sa maraming walang trabaho, malaking tulong ang ­internet upang sila’y makakita ng trabaho online.

Para sa mga guro at para sa mag-aaral, ang internet ang pinanggagalingan ng research, ng learning materials, at mga bagong modules.

Kaya mahalagang maisabatas ang libreng internet sa mga pampublikong lugar upang mabigyan ang mas maraming ­Pilipino ng access sa internet. Sa ilalim ng panukalang ito, aatasan ang Department of Information and Communications Techno­logy (DICT) na pangasiwaan at palawigin ang plano para sa nasabing programa.

Bibigyan din ng panu­kala ng kapangyarihan ang DICT para mapabilis ang proseso para sa aplikasyon ng permits at certificates para sa pagtatayo ng kailangang imprastruktura at kagami­tan, sa tulong ng iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan at local government units.

Sa paglalagay ng mabilis at de-kalidad na inter­net sa mga pampublikong lugar, mabubuksan ang mas maraming posibilidad para sa pagpapaganda ng ating buhay at pagpapalakas ng relasyon ng pamilya at ­komunidad.

Sa suportang nakuha ng panukala mula sa mga kapwa ko senador, tiwala akong maisasabatas ang panukalang ito sa lalong madaling panahon.

Bam pushes for greater internet access and free internet in public places

A measure providing free internet connectivity in public places and improving internet access across the Philippines is now closer to becoming a law, according to its main proponent, Sen. Bam Aquino.

 Sen. Bam said Senate Bill No. 1277 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act passed the committee level and is slated for plenary deliberations.

 According to Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committees on Education and Science and Technology, free internet access will be provided in all national and local government offices, public schools, public transport terminals, public hospitals and public libraries.

 “It is imperative that we institutionalize this very important platform – to improve access to quality Internet in the Philippines especially when only 52.6% of Filipinos have Internet access,” said Sen. Bam.

 Under the measure, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will be mandated to craft a plan and a timeline for the rollout of this program.

 “The DICT will also take the lead in coordinating with local government units to ensure the on-ground implementation of the program,” said Sen. Bam in his sponsorship speech.

 The measure will also authorize the DICT to streamline the process for the application of permits and certificates for the construction of infrastructure and installation of equipment necessary, in coordination with national government agencies and local government units.

 “Now is the time to invest completely in developing internet quality and bringing this powerful tool to every port, every station, every park, every museum, and every classroom in the Philippines,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 As chairman of the Committee on Education, Sen. Bam has filed Senate Bill No. 1050 seeking to connect all public educational institutions to the internet to help students enhance their personal and academic development.

 In a previous hearing, it was discovered that only 26 percent of public schools in the country have Internet access, which is detrimental to the progress of education.

Bam calls on local and int’l players to work with the DICT for better Internet

Sen. Bam calls on Internet companies here and abroad to work with the DICT to improve the quality of internet services in the Philippines.

“The success of our National Broadband Plan to improve Internet services lies in strong partnerships between government and the private sector,” said Sen. Bam after leading the Committee on Science and Technology’s hearing that looked into the initial details of the government’s national broadband plan Tuesday.

During the hearing, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) revealed initial details of its P75-billion national broadband plan, which is implementable in about 2 to 3 years.

The DICT stated that their preferred option is to invest in Internet infrastructure, like fiber optic cables, especially in underserved and hard-to-reach areas.

Under this option, the government will also use the existing infrastructure of current players while encouraging new entrants to develop new Internet infrastructure.

According to Sen. Bam, the DICT will come out with a final national broadband plan by the 2nd quarter of 2017.

 “Kapag maayos ang pagkagawa ng plano at siguraduhin na maayos ang pag-implement nito, magkakaroon tayo ng sapat na imprastraktura para tumaas ang kalidad ng internet at bumaba pa ang presyo nito,” said Sen. Bam.

 On top of the national broadband plan, Sen. Bam said the recently passed Philippine Competition Act will help create a climate that will attract foreign players to partner with Filipino companies, while the Free Internet Access in Public Spaces bill includes a provision to cut red tape for permits.

  “The policies we’re working on will also create a more competitive environment and promote ease of doing business to make it easier for new players to come,” added Sen. Bam.

Bam Expects NTC’s MC on Mobile Broadband to be Fair for Everyone

Senator Bam Aquino expects the National Telecommunications Commission’s memorandum circular (MC) on advertised speed of mobile broadband Internet to be fair for everyone.

“With 90 percent of our Internet users connect from mobile broadband, we need to ensure that this memorandum circular will be a win-win solution for everyone,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, referring to the MC that will be released in November.

“Inaasahan natin na makukuha ng taumbayan ang bilis na ibinibida sa mga patalastas at ads,” Sen. Bam, who has continued to spearhead the Senate investigation on the slow and expensive Internet connection in the country.

Earlier, the NTC released Memorandum Circular No. 07-08-2015 for fixed-line broadband internet, such as DSL, fiber, and cable.

The MC states that broadband must have data connection speed of at least 256 kilobits per second (kbps) – the standard of the International Telecommunications Union.

Based on the memorandum circular, Sen. Bam said consumers may file a complaint against a telco if it fails to deliver the promised advertised speed.

Also, Aquino said the government must put premium on improving the country’s Internet infrastructure, especially in far-flung areas to give more Filipinos access to the world wide web.

Sen. Bam Aquino’s Speech during the IP Peering MOA Signing

 “Magandang umaga po sa ating lahat. Definitely, today is a big step towards achieving our goals of having improved Internet services in the Philippines.

Ngayon po, all of our government websites, at least majority of our government websites, are locally peered.

This means, now that PLDT is connected to the PHOpenIX, our government data, any g to g data doesn’t have to leave the Philippines and can actually just travel locally among our shores.

Can you imagine the issues on national security previous to this day and this partnership? Before, government data had to travel outside of the country and come back to our shores to be able to get back to other government websites.

Today definitely is a huge day and we would like to thank PLDT and DOST for finally working out this partnership. Definitely, we can all sleep more soundly tonight now that this partnership is done.

Malaking bagay po na ang huge player like PLDT is now connected to the PHOpenIX. It does open a lot of opportunities in the future. At the minimum, our government sites are safer and of course would be more efficient Of course, this partnership does open the doors for other partnerships down the line.

What I’ve been harping about IP peering in the Senate hearings regarding IP peering, I think, we’re one step closer to that with this MOA signing.

Hopefully there will be another great announcement before the end of the year when it comes to full IP peering in the Philippines.

Today is definitely a good step, a big step and along the way of trying to improve Internet services in the Philippines, this is one of those days that we will remember as a banner day to be able to get to the goals that we want for our country.

More and more, lumalabas talaga na ang competitiveness of our country, a large part of it, in the next five to 10 years, if not the next two to three years, will be dependent on how good our Internet infrastructure is.

We’re hoping that together, we can really build a much improved Internet infrastructure in the Philippines.

We have a long way to go definitely, but sabi nga nila, each journey begins with one step and this is definitely a good step in the right direction.”

Bam on Balikbayan Boxes, Internet Infrastructure (Excerpts from Interview at Radyo Inquirer 990)

On Internet Infrastructure

 

Sen. Bam: Baka panahon na iyong gobyerno mismo ang maglatag ng fiber optic highway.

Ang modelo kasi sa ibang bansa, naglalatag ang gobyerno ng fiber tapos ang private sector nagre-rent sa gobyerno. Makukuha mo pa rin iyan, dahil gobyerno lang ang nag-upfront.

Habang dini-develop mo ang area, mas magiging viable iyan sa private sector, mas magre-rent sila, mas mababayaran ang infrastructure natin.

Sabi ko nga kay NEDA Secretary Balisacan, Secretary narito na ang NTC, DTI, DOST at private sector, puwede ba sa next hearing natin pag-usapan ang mga solusyon. Kasi ang previous hearings, puro about consumer complaint, na makuha ang tapat na binabayaran, kasi kahit po iyon, hindi nakukuha ng ating kababayan.

Ang next diyan, ano ang long-term solutions at ano ba ang pondong kailangan para dito. Pakiramdam ko kailangang pondohan iyan kasi nakasalalay diyan ang competitiveness ng ating bansa.

Iyong ekonomiya natin maganda ang takbo pero in a few years makita ng investors na mabagal ang Internet diyan, baka hindi pa maging tuluy-tuloy ang investments natin.

Tsaka iyong jobs natin nakasalalay sa Internet infrastructure kaya tuluy-tuloy ang pagtutok natin dito.

 

On the Balikbayan Box Issue

 

Q: Sa balikbayan box, napakainit na usapin po ito. Ano ang pakiramdam ninyo rito, ano ang posisyon niyo sa pag-open, by random, ng balikbayan boxes.

 

Sen. Bam: Matagal na akong nag-file ng bill na pagtataas ng de minimis. Ang de minimis po, kasi sa ating bansa, ten pesos lang. More than ten pesos lang, puwede nang i-tax. Napakaluma na ng probisyong iyan, hindi pa binabago.

Kahit mag-uwi po ako ng tsokolate mula sa ibang bansa, technically puwede na akong i-tax doon kasi hindi nila ina-update iyong ten pesos.

Nag-file na po ako a few months ago, na ang ten pesos gawing ten thousand pesos. Kaya kung less than P10,000, hindi na dapat iyan puwedeng i-tax. Of course, ang ginagawa ngayon wala na lang pumapansin.

 

Q: Iyong act ng pagbubukas mismo. Iyong random inspection?

 

Sen. Bam: Sa totoo lang, we have to check kung ano ang mga patakaran diyan. Kasi ang isyu naman ng BOC ay pagdating sa drugs at mga baril.

I also don’t know kung gaano kadalas nangyayari iyon. Gaano ba kadalas nakakapasok ang drugs at baril sa balikbayan box.

 

Q: Ang ginagawa nila, kaakibat daw ng tamang pagpapataw ng buwis. Tulad ng sinabi ninyo, the root cause here is that after ten pesos puwede ka nang buwisan. Ang solusyon niyo, kapag P10,000 exempted na, wala nang babayaran.

 

Sen. Bam: Matagal ko na pong na-file iyon, hindi na po iyan nahi-hear. I hope that it can pass into law, number one.

Number two, ang comment ng mga tao, ang dami-daming mga smuggling ng container bakit pati balikbayan box, binibigyan nila ng pansin.

Naiintindihan ko iyon kasi it’s not as if iyong smuggling sa ating bansa wala na, iyong malakihang smuggling. Noong isang linggo lang, maraming luxury car ang nahuli.

Baka rin nasa kung ano talaga ang focus. At the same time, suportahan po natin ang OFWs. Taasan po natin iyong de minimis. Iyon ang batas na gusto nating isulong.

 

Q: Hindi alam ng taumbayan na ang de minimis, hindi pa pala naamyendahan, at iyon ang ginagamit ng Bureau of Customs ngayon para magbayad ng mas matindi pa ang taumbayan.

 

Sen. Bam: I’m sure magkaka-hearing po na niyan. Isusulong po natin ang bill natin na  pagtaas ng de minimis, gawing P10,000, na kahit ibukas pa iyan, walang isyu, dahil karamihan ng nasa loob ng balikbayan box ay house items at personal items.

 

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.

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