president duterte

Bam on Duterte’s statement on policemen involved in Espinosa killing, VP Leni

Transcript of media interview in Iriga City

 

Q: Reaction sa ginawa ni Digong na hindi niya ipakukulong (ang mga pulis na involved sa Espinosa killing)?

 

Sen. Bam: Alam mo, pabagu-bago ang statements niya tungkol diyan. I think, binago na rin ng Malacanang ang sinabi niya.

But definitely, kung talagang may nakita tayong mga pulis na gumawa ng masama, dapat silang makulong.

 That’s the rule of law. Hindi puwedeng mapawalang-bisa iyon nang basta-basta na lang.

To be frank, may sinabi siya kahapon. Binago today. Alam niyo, hindi ko na rin alam kung ano ang mga ibig sabihin talaga.

 Siguro, iyong panigan na lang natin is kung may sala na ginawa, na mukha namang meron. The NBI has said it, internal affairs, iyong medico legal, iyon rin po ang sinabi na rubout ito, dapat talaga managot ang mga pulis na iyon.

  

Q: Kumusta po ang Liberal Party?

 

Sen. Bam: Lahat kami ay nakasuporta kay VP Leni. Ang mahalaga po ay matuloy niya ang kanyang misyong tumulong sa ating bayan.

She said it many times in the past na hindi naman kailangan ng gobyerno upang makatulong sa ating bayan.

If you remember, medyo late na rin siyang nakapasok sa Gabinete at nakaplano na rin kung paano makatutulong sa mga nasa laylayan kahit walang government agency.

 Ngayong wala na siya sa Housing, I think what’s important is tayong sumusuporta sa kanya, we help her to be able to do her mission na tumulong sa nasa laylayan ng lipunan.

The party is solidly behind her sa kanyang desisyon at sa mga susunod na hakbang na matuloy ang kanyang misyon na tulungan ang mahihirap kahit wala na sa Gabinete.

 

 On bill against “no permit, no exam policy

 

Sen. Bam: Masyado yatang grabe na hindi mo papa-eksaminin ang bata dahil hindi lang makabayad. We want to make this illegal, gusto nating pagmultahin ang mga guro, administrador at mga eskuwelahan na gumagawa nito. We want to make sure na ang hindi makatarungang gawain na iyan ay matigil na. We’re hoping na mapasa natin ito sa ating committee para matigil na ang practice na ito na hindi makatarungan sa mga kabataan.

 

Q: Ang problema po ng ating mga estudyante sa high school, elementary at nursery ay ang mga field trip, film showing, among others. May magagawa ba kayo para ito’y matigil na dahil ito’y lumalabas na anti-poor dahil nasa public school na nga, papagastusin pa ang mga magulang?

 

Sen. Bam: We’ll try to find a way na mabalansehin po iyan. Ang ganyang extra-curricular activities, maganda rin iyan for the development ng mga bata pero kung hindi na siya ma-afford, hindi na siya maganda.

Narinig na rin namin iyan na maraming bata ang hindi nakakapunta. We’ll try to find a way to balance that out kasi pag in-outlaw naman natin o tinanggal natin completely, hindi naman iyon maganda rin.

We’ll try to find a balance. Magandang mabigyan ng subsidy ang ating mga eskuwelahan para mas marami ang maka-avail nito.

 

Q: Kanina sa program ko, may nag-text. Baka puwede mo ring sabihin kay Sen. Aquino na ang public schools, baka puwede maging free, as in free, sa mga bayarin. Bukod sa PTA dues, marami pa ring hinihingi sa mga pupils like homeroom projects, tours, sarsuela, tickets etc. Baka puwede rin silang maglaan ng funds per student sa mga public school.

 

Sen. Bam: Iyong mga sarsuela at non-essential matters, dapat hindi na ituloy o di na gawing requirement. Ang public school system natin, gusto ho natin libre iyan. Ang alam ko ho ngayon, ang mga gastusin na lang ngayon ay iyong uniform.

 Ang iba pang fees gaya ng field trip at film showing, gusto ho nating ma-minimize natin iyan at mabigyan ng tsansa ang bata na maka-experience niyan nang hindi malaki ang ginagastos.

 But again, it’s about finding a balance. Most of the expenses sa ating schools, subsidized na po iyan. I would even say, more like 90 percent or 95 percent may subsidiya na po. Ang palagay ko, maganda pong tingnan iyan.

Ang sinisikap naman natin ngayon, maging free rin ang tuition fee natin sa state universities and colleges. Iyon ang next natin na binibigyan ng pansin. We’re hoping to pass that by next year.

Joint statement of Liberal Party Senators on the President’s warning to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus

As public servants and duly elected officials, we are sworn to serve and protect the rights of every Filipino and to uphold and defend the Philippine Constitution.
 
That very Constitution, the basic law of the land, commands that the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus — a safeguard against state abuse, particularly of warrantless arrests – may only be suspended in cases of invasion and rebellion.
 
Section 15 of the Bill of Rights provides: “The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion when the public safety requires it.”
 
The drug menace is not a ground to suspend the privilege of the writ. On the matter of rebellion, the administration is already talking peace with all armed groups, and we are in full support.
 
We see no basis for the suspension of the Filipino’s privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and we shall remain committed to upholding the sacred constitutional safeguards to the rights of the Filipino people.

Sen. Bam supports building economic ties with China

Senator Bam Aquino welcomed President Duterte’s decision to engage in economic ties with China, saying the government “must choose only what’s best for our country”, especially in providing jobs and livelihood to Filipinos.

“Kung ano ang pinakamainam at pinakamaganda sa ating bansa, iyon po ang i-explore natin. That is why I’m supportive of the moves to get more investments from China,” Sen. Bam said during a radio interview.

 “I don’t think na ibig sabihin ng pagkuha ng investments sa China ay may aawayin tayo na ibang bansa o ibang rehiyon gaya ng European Union,” the senator stressed.

“Hindi naman ho ibig sabihin na kung kaibigan natin ang China, kaaway natin ang Amerika. Kahit naman po ang Amerika at China ay may trade deals at pakikitungo sa isa’t-isa,” added Sen. Bam.

While Duterte’s push for an independent foreign policy is constitutional, Sen. Bam believes that it should not lead to burning bridges with current allies, led by the United States and EU.

 “We cannot cut ties with them dahil maraming Pilipino ang nakatira at nagtatrabaho doon at marami rin silang mga investment dito,” said Sen. Bam.

Earlier, Sen. Bam filed Senate Resolution No. 158, urging the government to clarify the country’s stand on different foreign policy issue.

 Sen. Bam made the move due to contradicting statements given by President Duterte and other government officials on different foreign policy issues.

Sen. Bam has been working to provide jobs, livelihood and education to more Filipinos as chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship in the 16th Congress and head of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress.

Bam hopes Duterte’s SONA includes plans for employment, poverty reduction

Apart from his intensified campaign against illegal drugs, President Duterte can lay down a clear plan on how he will address the country’s other pressing problems, such as employment, education and poverty reduction, in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 25.

“President Duterte can discuss important topics that matter to the lives of Filipinos like education, employment and poverty reduction,” replied Sen. Bam when asked in a television interview about his wish list of issues that should be discussed by Duterte in his SONA.

“He can talk about the West Philippine Sea issue as well. These are things, I think that people will be very interested in,” added Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“We need to ensure that prices are stable and more importantly, that Filipino families have the wherewithal to address their most basic needs.”

In the recent Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan survey conducted from July 2 to 8, Filipinos want the new Duterte administration to prioritize three economic issues.

These are increase in prices of goods (68 percent), creation of jobs (56 percent) and implementation of pro-poor initiatives (55 percent). Around 48 percent of Filipinos mentioned fighting criminality as the fourth most pressing concern.

In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam has filed several measures that will help end contractualization in the labor sector, provide free college education, and boost the government’s poverty reduction program. 

Sen. Bam Aquino filed Senate Bill No. 174 or the End Endo Act that seeks to eliminate the unjust “Endo” (end contract) practice in the country.

The measure will put a stop to fixed term employment or hiring of workers based on a limited and fixed period without regularization so more Filipinos are assured of job security and steady compensation.

The senator also filed Senate Bill No. 177 that pushes for free tertiary education in all State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for all students.

He also filed the Trabaho Center in Schools Bill (Senate Bill No. 170) and the Abot Alam Bill (Senate Bill No. 171).

In his Trabaho Center in Schools Bill, Sen. Bam wants to create a job placement office or Trabaho Center to assist Senior High School graduates who opt to find employment and help them find those opportunities.

The Abot Alam Bill will create a comprehensive national framework designed to achieve the government’s aim to provide education for each and every Filipino, particularly out-of-school youth (OSY).

The bill seeks to institutionalize the highly successful Abot Alam convergence program led by the Department of Education and National Youth Commission.

Bam on appointment of VP Leni Robredo as HUDCC chairperson

We welcome President Duterte’s appointment of Vice President Leni Robredo as HUDCC chairperson.

 Ang posisyong ito ay akma sa malawak na karanasan ni VP Robredo sa pagtatrabaho kasama ang mahihirap, lalo na iyong walang masisilungan.

 Umaasa tayo na ang pagtalaga kay VP Robredo sa isang mahalagang posisyon sa pamahalaan ay hudyat ng umpisa ng matibay na ugnayan at pagtutulungan ng dalawang pinakamataas na lider ng bansa para sa kapakanan ng mahihirap.

 It is our honest desire to serve fellow Filipinos, specially the poorest of our countrymen, that will drive the Philippines forward and allow us to shed our personal alliances and interests.

 
Sen. Bam was VP Leni Robredo’s campaign manager in the 2016 elections
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