AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE.
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND UNIFIED STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION (UNIFAST), THEREBY RATIONALIZING ACCESS THERETO, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
AN ACT DECLARING THE COCONUT LEVY ASSETS AS A TRUST FUND, PROVIDING FOR ITS MANAGEMENT AND UTILIZATION, AUTHORIZING THE PRIVATIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OFFICE TO DISPOSE THE COCONUT LEVY ASSETS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A STATE-OF-THE-ART AND HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC SPORTS COMPLEX TO BE KNOWN AS THE ‘NATIONAL AMATEUR SPORTS TRAINING CENTER,’ AND APPROPRIATING FUNDING THEREOF FOR THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION, MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SAME AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
A lawmaker urges the government to address the growing number of unemployed Filipino youth, which is currently estimated at 1.32 million.
According to the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) and National Statistics Office (NSO), the current national rate of unemployed Filipinos is at 6.6% or at 2.7 million as of January 2015, up from 6.0% as reported in October 2014.
From the 6.6%, 49.1 percent of the unemployed Filipinos belong to the age bracket of 15 to 24 years old or 1.32 million.
“Nakakaalarma na mas maraming kabataan ngayon ang walang trabaho,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.
To help address this problem, Sen. Bam has filed Senate Resolution No. 1268 seeking to encourage concerned government agencies to create employment opportunities for the youth.
“1.32 milyong kabataan ang hindi nakakatulong sa kanilang mga pamilya at sa ating bansa,” added Sen. Bam.
Also, the resolution also urges government agencies to formulate programs to address the needs of young Filipinos, including the unemployed youth, workers in vulnerable employment and young entrepreneurs.
Sen. Bam sees the need for relevant government agencies such as the Department of Labor, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the National Economic Development Authority to collaborate and coordinate more to address the problem.
“In order to strategically and significantly promote job generation for young Filipinos and propose interventions on economic policies, there should be a coordinated policy framework to address the challenges of youth unemployment,” said Sen. Bam.
Sen. Bam encouraged the government to prioritize programs that will enhance labor market information, skills training and upgrading, online job matching and entrepreneurial skills.
“Through the years, there has been a mismatch between the available jobs and available skills in the labor force, which is considered as one of the main reasons for youth unemployment,” said Sen. Bam.
“Kailangang mabigyan ng pagkakataong magkatrabaho o magkanegosyo, at lumago ang ating kabataan sa nararanasang pag-unlad ng ating bansa,” Sen. Bam emphasized.
In a move to develop the country’s grassroots sports, a senator has filed a bill seeking to establish a Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS) that will provide young athletes with quality sports training while learning at the same time.
“Through the PHSS Act, we have the opportunity to support young athletes and provide them valuable education along with quality sports training,” Sen. Bam Aquino said in Senate Bill No. 2697.
Explaining his measure, Aquino said the PHSS will offer, on a scholarship basis, a secondary course with special emphasis on developing the athletic skills of students through subjects pertaining to physical and sports development.
This will enable student-athletes to gain their secondary education while ensuring opportunities for their training, exposure and participation in sports competitions,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.
Sen. Bam believes that with the right training and education, young athletes can help put the country’s flag in international competitions such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.
“The PHSS will serve as the training ground where future Gilas and Azkals are honed and the future Paeng Nepomucenos and Eric Buhains are developed,” added Sen. Bam.
At present, the Philippines is home to world champions in boxing, bowling, swimming, jiu jitsu, shooting and wushu, among others.
Mga Bida, nitong mga nakaraang araw, inulan ng batikos ang Revenue Regulation No. 5-2015 ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
Inilabas ito noong ika-labimpito ng Marso at nagkabisa dalawang araw ang nakalipas matapos ma-publish sa isang daily newspaper.
Ang mahirap dito, binibigyan lang ang taxpayers na saklaw ng Electronic Filing and Payment System (eFPS) o Electronic BIR Forms (eBIRForms) ng hanggang a-kinse ng Abril, o wala pang isang buwan, para tumalima sa nasabing kautusan.
In an effort to boost the country’s Internet speed and access, a senator has filed a bill seeking to create an Online Network Establishment (ONE) that will build and develop basic information and communications (ICT) infrastructure throughout the country.
“The ONE Philippines Act is a concrete step to build and develop basic information and communications (ICT) infrastructure through the solidarity of both public and private agencies,” Sen. Bam Aquino said in Senate Bill No. 2698.
The bill calls for the establishment of ICT Hubs in every legislative district, which will improve the country’s Internet speed and give more Filipinos access to the World Wide Web.
“Being a nation with over 7,000 islands and with an estimated 10 million Filipinos living abroad, it is important that we establish quality access to the Internet, and other means of communications across the country,” Sen. Bam emphasized.
However, a report by the United Nations (UN) agency said seven of 10 Filipinos have no Internet access and only 18.9 percent of households have Internet connection.
“There is an urgent need to address the lack of Internet access in the Philippines so Filipinos can keep their connections alive and strong and business can continue to thrive,” Sen. Bam said.
Also, Sen. Bam added the country’s GDP will improve by up to one percent by improving access to ICT, based on a study by the Nathan Institute and the Oxford Institute.
“The approval of this bill will not only lead to more personal connections between Filipino families and friends, it will also advance industry and support the country’s exceptional economic growth,” Sen. Bam stressed.
CLASSMATES. Rusty graduated from Xavier University- Ateneo de Cagayan with a bachelor’s degree in Development Communication. Rusty was a former street kid who, with sheer determination, was able to get off the street. All photos by Bobby Lagsa
Here is a story of how a street child, exposed to drugs and crime at a young age, went against all odds and graduated from Ateneo
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – In late 2009, 20-year-old Rusty Quintana lined up at a classroom in Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan for a shot at one of the scholarship grants that the university offered.
Though unsure that he would get a chance of entering his dream university, he queued up anyway.
Rechelle Tolinero, a faculty of the Development Communication Department at XU, said that she first met Rusty on that day for an interview for a scholarship grant. “We knew right there that he was different, that there was something about him,” Tolinero said.
Rusty was wearing his best clothes that day – though his best was an almost tattered shirt and faded pants. He did not cut his hair for a while and his thick kinky hair stood out.
A native of the Agusan river in Barangay Florida in Butuan City with lineage from the indigenous Banwahon tribe, Rusty‘s brown skin and hair is hard not to miss.
“When it was his part for the interview, Rusty was quick to point out that if possible, we converse in Bisaya because he cannot speak English,” Tolinero said.
In fact, Rusty did not finish his elementary and high school.
Rusty was only armed with a diploma from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education, a proof that he is eligible to enter college.
“But what struck us the most is his honesty and straight forward demeanor, when he came here, he had no pretentions that he knew something, or (that) he could speak English, unlike those who came before him in the queue who struggled to speak in English just to prove a point,” Tolinero said.
The kid from the streets
Rusty Quintana shakes hand with President Noynoy Aquino as he receives Dire Husi’s award as one of the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations in the Philippines
Rusty is a street kid who grew up outside the grand gates of Xavier University, near the historic Plaza Divisoria.
He was just 7 years old when he was plucked out of their home by his older brother, Rodolfo Quintana Jr, and was brought to Cagayan de Oro City in 1996, to get away from their troubled home.
Upon reaching Cagayan de Oro, they lived in shanties near the CDO River. There, Rusty spent his days outside the gates of XU, asking for some change and hanging out at the statue of Ramon Magsaysay.
One day, his brother disappeared. He later learned learned that he was arrested by the police on charges of drug pushing.
Rusty would soon find himself at the Mother Theresa Foundation, a shelter in Upper Puerto, where he spent almost 4 years.
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Q: May call na magkaroon ng parang autonomous body ang e-sports in the Philippines. Are you aware of that and how willing will you be to work with them?
Sen. Bam: I think it would be great na magkaroon ng association for e-sports. Earlier, we talked about possibly talking to the Philippine Sports Commission to see kung may mga paraan para ma-recognize officially sila ng gobyerno.
Private body would be even better and we are willing to support naman.
We’ve talked to the players. We’ve been supporting them for the last couple of trips nila. We’re hoping na di na maulit iyong pag-o-offload.
Sabi nga namin, lahat ng paperwork na kailangan, lahat ng permiso, siguraduhin na natin early on para wala na silang obstacles to get to their tournaments and training programs.
Q: Mas maganda mag-training sa Korea because they have better Internet. Have you also looked into that problem here na medyo sub-par ang Internet?
Sen. Bam: We have one of the worst Internet in the ASEAN. Actually, that’s one of our main advocacies, to improve the Internet infrastructure here in the Philippines.
So hopefully, if we’re able to improve [our Internet here in the country], we will develop our e-sports industry even more and we will be able to support more of our cyber athletes.
Q: Have other government employees and offices expressed interest in helping e-sports?
Sen. Bam: Feeling ko wala, to be frank. Nauna na kami dahil we’ve been dealing with the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP).
We’ve been helping them try to get more leads and bring more companies to the Philippines kasi naniniwala kami na there’s a lot of talent and a lot of competency in the Philippines.
Doon nagsimula iyon. We’ve been helping them bring in companies like Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft. We’ve been talking to these guys to set up studios here. Hopefully, may good news iyan in a couple of months.
Through that effort, nakilala namin ang e-sports players. That’s when they came to us and asked for help kay Team Rave. We’ve been trying to help them with their paperwork and mga permits and regulations nila.
Unfortunately, di sila nakipag-coordinate for their last trip to Korea. But now, we’re helping them and hopefully, maayos na iyon.
In fact, we organized a meeting with them and the POEA para lahat ng paperwork nga nila maayos na. Sabi nga namin, we will do our best to make sure that they travel safely to Korea, eventually to the States and be able to compete there
We’re proud of this team dahil they’re No. 1 in Southeast Asia, they’re the underdogs, they beat huge teams from really huge countries.
Kita ninyo naman, hindi pa kasi kasinlakas ang e-sports sa ating bansa compared to those countries and they’re already able to place.
We’re hoping that with more support from Pinoys and from different institutions that they can really bring home the gold and take the largest prize money.
We’re quite proud of them and we hope na they have more continued success as they continue their journey.
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