State of the Nation Address

Sen. Bam on the SONA: Let it be about how to help the poor, not Cha-Cha or drugs

A senator said President Duterte should make his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) about addressing the plight of poor Filipinos burdened by high prices of goods due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.
 
“Sana pag-usapan ang mga solusyon sa pagtaas presyo sa SONA ng Pangulo. Suspindihin na itong excise tax sa petrolyo para mabigyan ng ginhawa ang mga pamilyang nalulunod sa gastos,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the government’s tax reform program.
 
“Mula sa puso daw ang SONA ngayon. Sana mula sa isang pusong may malasakit sa mahihirap na Pilipinong nasasagasaan ng mga programa ng gobyerno,” added Sen. Bam.
 
Earlier, Sen. Bam said that the 11-point drop in President Duterte’s net approval rating is a cry for help from Filipinos, who are suffering due to the government’s tax reform program.
 
“Ang pagbaba ng rating ng Pangulo ay paghingi ng saklolo ng taumbayan sa matinding pabigat ng TRAIN Law at taas-presyo,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam is hoping that President Duterte will support his measure seeking to suspend and roll back the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Law.
 
Under Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under the TRAIN Law will be suspended and rolled back once average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.
 
Sen. Bam also is pushing for the full implementation of mitigating measures under the TRAIN Law, such as the unconditional cash transfer program for poor families and the Pantawid Pasada for jeepney operators and drivers.

BIDA KA!: Unang SONA

Mga bida, noong Lunes napakinggan natin ang kauna-unahang State of the Nation Address (SONA) ni Pangulong Rody Duterte, 26 na araw matapos maupo bilang ika-16 na pinuno ng bansa.

Isa’t kalahating oras ang haba ng talumpati ni Pangulong Duterte, na sumentro sa iba’t ibang isyung mahalaga sa bansa at inaantaba­yanan ng taumbayan.

Mula sa iligal na droga, pagnenegosyo, kalikasan, katiwalian, mabilis na serbisyo sa pamahalaan, isyu sa China, problema sa Internet, kapayapaan at kagutuman, natalakay ni Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang SONA.

Malinaw ring nailatag ng Pangulo ang mga direktiba sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan at ang direksiyon ng mga plano na nangangailangan ng tulong ng mga mambabatas.

Kasama rito ang pagbuo ng isang pederal na sistema ng pamahalaan at pagbababa ng buwis ng mamamayan.

***

Sinabayan ng Pangulong Duterte ang talumpati ng kanyang trademark na mga biro at punchline na nagbigay-tuwa sa mga mambabatas at iba pang mga panauhin na nagtipon sa plenaryo ng Kamara.

Sa kabila ng mga birong ito, ramdam natin na seryoso si Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang mga binitiwang kataga, lalo na nang ikuwento niya ang mga taong natutulog sa kalsada habang naghihintay na magbukas ang ahensiya ng gobyerno na nasa isang mall.

Maaalala ang speech ng Pangulo sa pagbabahagi niya ng personal na karanasan at ‘di pagsunod sa script na nasa teleprompter.

***

Nagpapasalamat din tayo kay Pangulong Duterte sa pagbanggit niya sa ilang mga adbokasiya na isinusulong natin sa Senado.

Kabilang na rito ang pagpapabilis ng proseso sa pagkuha ng mga papeles sa pamahalaan, pagpapaganda sa serbisyo ng Internet, pagpapababa ng buwis, pagtulong sa entrepreneurs at pagpapaganda ng sistema ng edukasyon sa bansa.

Mga bida, hindi naman lingid sa inyo na isinusulong na natin ang mabilis at abot-kayang Internet sa bansa noon pang 16th Congress.

Sa direktiba ni Duterte sa bagong tatag na Department of Information and Communication Technology na bumuo ng isang National Broadband Plan, inaasahan nating gaganda ang serbisyo ng Internet sa bansa.

Marami rin tayong naipasang batas na sumusuporta sa micro, small and medium enterprises at nagtataguyod ng ease of doing business sa 16th Congress, tulad ng Philippine Competition Act, Go Negosyo Act ar Youth Entrepreneurship Act.

Ang mga batas na ito ay makatutulong sa hangarin ni Pangulong Duterte na pabilisin ang proseso ng pagnenegosyo at paigtingin pa ang serbisyo sa ating micro, small at medium enterprises, na siyang haligi ng ating ekonomiya.

Ngayong 17th Congress, naghain tayo ng 100 panukalang batas at resolusyon ukol sa iba’t ibang isyu, kabilang ang pagpapaganda ng sistema ng edukasyon at reporma sa pagbubuwis sa pamamagitan ng Personal Tax Reform at Corporate Tax Reform bills.

Ngayong malinaw na ang direksiyon na nais tahakin ng Duterte administration, tiwala tayo na maisasabatas ang mga panukalang ito, para na rin sa kapakanan ng publiko.

Nagpalit man ng liderato ang Senado, tuluy-tuloy pa rin tayo sa pagtatrabaho para sa ating mga bida.

Palagi kong sinasabi na magkakaiba man ang aming mga partido, pagbubuklurin pa rin kami ng aming pagnanais na pagsilbihan ang taumbayan.

Article first published on Abante Online

Bam: President Duterte’s SONA very refreshing, sincere

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.

2 out of 5 Legacy Laws from Neophyte Senator

In his first two years as legislator, Senator Bam Aquino worked on two of the five most important measures that were enacted into laws by the current administration.

Sen. Bam principally sponsored and co-authored the Philippine Competition Act, now known as Republic Act 10667, and principally sponsored the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act or Republic Act 10668.

The twin measures were signed into laws by President Aquino. Moreover, the Chief Executive mentioned them as two of the five most important legislations passed by his administration during his sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“Dahil sa Kongreso, naipasa ang mga batas na kikilalanin bilang haligi ng transpormasyong sinisimulan natin ngayon…salamat sa Philippine Competition Law…at sa pag-amyenda sa Cabotage Law,” the Chief Executive said.

Aside from the two, the President also cited the Sin Tax Reform Act, the Responsible Parenthood Act and the Act Allowing the Full Entry of Foreign Banks.

President Aquino described the measures as part of the administration’s campaign, “kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.”

“Hinabol natin ang mga corrupt at nilinis ang sistema, na nanganak ng kumpiyansa sa ating mga merkado. Pumasok ang negosyo, lumawak ang oportunidad… nakikitang meron nang level playing field; naaasahan ang pag-asenso nang hindi kailangang mandaya,” the President said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, for his part, said that the Philippine Competition Act would address the nation’s long-standing absence of a comprehensive competition law in effect during his speech on the opening of the 3rd regular session of the 16th Congress.

Drilon also noted that the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act would widen the market and is expected to lower the cost of transport of agricultural goods and other local produces, which ultimately would affect prices of products sold to consumers.

Stakeholders, such as the Makati Business Club, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, also hailed the passage of the twin laws, saying these would boost the competitiveness of Philippine enterprises and help sustain economic growth.

Dean Tony La Vina, head of the Ateneo School of Government, believes that the Fair Competition Act is the “antidote to the adverse effects of monopolistic behemoths that make our economy less competitive vis-à-vis other Asean member countries.”

“It is a measure that will position us better in the forthcoming Asean economic integration. If well implemented, fair competition will certainly result in prosperity,” he said in his newspaper column.

Furthermore, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) head and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that the Philippine Competition Act would reinforce the country’s economy.

“As the bill levels the playing field among businesses, we can expect an increased level of confidence among the international business community, and thus lead to a surge of investments and economic activity, and an expanded logistical capacity,” Balisacan said.

Overall, Sen. Bam now has four laws to his credit. Last year, the President approved the Go Negosyo Act, which was principally authored and sponsored by Sen. Bam, and the Philippine Lemon Law.

The President is also expected to sign the Youth Entrepreneurship Act soon, making it five laws for Sen. Bam, the youngest senator in the 16th Congress.

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.”

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