Month: February 2017

Bam: Financially challenged students to benefit from free tuition in SUCs

Financially challenged students stand to benefit from the proposed free tuition in state colleges and universities (SUCs), according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

 Sen. Bam is the principal sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1304 or the “Free Higher Education for All Act”, which is currently being tackled in the plenary.

“Matutulungan ng panukalang ito ang mga estudyanteng gustong makatapos ng kolehiyo ngunit nakararanas ng problemang pinansiyal,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

In most cases, Sen. Bam said the parents of these students are regular employees, who are having a hard time making ends meet for the needs of their families due to meager salaries.

 Sen. Bam added there are some students who work part-time to sustain their educational needs, such as tuition fees and other school expenses.

The senator cited the cases of Mary Ann Valimento and Cherry Mae Cabillo, who were among those interviewed by his office as case studies for the measure.

A business administration student at Bulacan State University, Valimento is having a hard time paying her tuition and other school fees after her father suffered a stroke and had to stop working.

A 3rd-year IT student at Philippine State College of Aeronautics, Cabillo was forced to drop out of school due to her parents’ lack of financial capability, with her father working as farmer and her mother a plain housewife.

“Ilan lang sila sa napakaraming estudyante na kulang sa pinansiyal na kakayahan na dapat nating tulungan para magkaroon ng tsansa sa magandang buhay,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 According to data from Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), around 77 percent of students from majority of SUCs come from a family earning minimum wage income or less.

 Furthermore, the Annual Poverty Indicator Survey (APIS) 2014 report indicated that up to 71 percent of students in SUCs come from families with monthly family income of approximately P29,000 or less, and are struggling to send their children to school.

Earlier, Sen. Bam countered the position of several government agencies that the measure is anti-poor, saying the government must invest in education for the youth.

 Along with Sen. Bam, other authors of the measure are Sens. Ralph Recto, Joel Villanueva, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Pangilinan, Sonny Angara, Loren Legarda, Leila de Lima, Cynthia Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Richard Gordon.

Bam: Education for youth is the best investment

Education for the youth is the best investment our government can make.

Sen. Bam Aquino issued the pronouncement after several government agencies opposed the measure that seeks to provide free tuition fee in all SUCs. 

The senator affirmed the government’s commitment to provide free tuition in state colleges and universities, saying “If we have the money, why not invest in the future of our youth?”

 “The Senate has chosen this as one of its main priority measures in the 17th Congress,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

 “Too many students fail to graduate college because of financial problems. Suportahan natin ang mga estudyante na makapagtapos. Let’s give them a chance at a better life through education,” added Sen. Bam.

 “If we’re willing to spend over P15 billion to host the ASEAN anniversary this year, why shouldn’t we spend roughly the same amount to make tuition free for our students in SUCs?” the senator pointed out.

 Sen. Bam is the principal sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1304 or the “Free Higher Education for All Act”, which is currently being tackled in the plenary.

 Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 177 was consolidated in Senate Bill No. 1304 together with other similar measures, which seek to provide free tuition fee to all students in SUCs.

 Aside from the Pagkaing Pinoy Bill, the Free Higher Education for All has received the most support in the 17th Congress.

 Along with Sen. Bam Aquino, other authors of the measure are Sens. Ralph Recto, Joel Villanueva, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Pangilinan, Sonny Angara, Loren Legarda, Leila de Lima, Cynthia Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Richard Gordon.

 Sens. Recto, Ejercito, Angara, Legarda, Villanueva, Gatchalian and Zubiri co-sponsored the measure.

 Providing free tuition fee in SUCs is only one of many reforms Sen. Bam is pushing in the field of education.

Bam finds inconsistency in Al Argosino’s statements

Sen. Bam Aquino found a major inconsistency in former Bureau of Immigration (BI) deputy commissioner Al Argosino’s statement during the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the P50-million bribery scandal involving two dismissed BI deputy commissioners.

Initially, Argosino testified that he only informed Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre about the P50-million bribe money on Dec. 13.

Upon questioning by Sen. Bam, it was discovered that Argosino already discussed the bribery incident with Aguirre on Dec. 9 but he didn’t mention the amount and that the money was in his possession.

“On December 9, you had discussed with Sec. Aguirre what had happened. Nabanggit na may pera pero hindi mo sinabi kung magkano? Sen. Bam asked Argosino, to which the latter replied “along that line, your honor”.

 Argosino admitted that it was only on December 13 when he informed Aguirre about the P50 million he received from Lam.

 Aguirre confirmed Argosino’s statement, saying that on the night of December 9, they were not talking about money but only about the supposed bribery.

 Earlier, Argosino admitted to Sen. Bam that he waited 17 days before informing Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente that he accepted P50 million from Lam.

 Argosino told Sen. Bam that he only informed Morente of the bribe money when they filed charges against Lam, Wally Sombero and former BI intelligence chief Charles Calima on December 13.

 “At what point niyo po sinabi sa inyong direct superior si Commissioner Morente na may perang lumipat sa yo? Hindi mo siya sinabihan?” Sen. Bam asked Argosino.

 “December 13, your Honor,” replied Argosino.

“Ilang araw iyon? More than two weeks. 17 days. Hindi mo sinabihan yung boss mo na may ganung kalaki na pera na na sa iyo. Why not? Bakit di mo siya sinabihan?” Sen. Bam said.

BIDA KA!: Gabay sa mga tupa

Mga bida, isa ako sa mga naka­rinig sa Pastoral Letter na inilabas ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) nang ako’y magsimba noong Linggo.

Gaya ng maraming Katolikong nagsimba noong Linggo, napukaw ang ­aking atensiyon sa nilalaman ng ­nasabing sulat na nakatuon sa nangyayaring extrajudicial killing (EJK) sa kasalukuyan.

Ito ay ilan sa bahagi ng binasa ng kura paroko ng aming simbahan:

Minamahal na Bayan ng Diyos, Labis kaming nababahala, kaming inyong mga Obispo, sa maraming namamatay at pinapatay sa pagsugpo sa ipinagbabawal na gamot o droga.

Totoong malaking problema ang droga. Dapat itong sugpuin at pagtagumpayan. Pero ang lunas ay wala sa pagpatay ng mga pinaghihinalaang gumagamit o nagtutulak ng droga.

Hindi lang kami nababahala sa mga pinatay. Nakakabahala­ ang kalagayan ng mga pamilya ng mga nasawi. Mas lalong ­pinahirapan ang buhay nila.

Nakakabahala rin ang takot na naghahari sa maraming lugar ng mahihirap. Marami ang nasasawi na hindi naman droga ang dahilan. Hindi na napananagot ang mga pumapaslang.

Mas lalong nakakabahala ang pagiging manhid ng marami sa ganitong katiwalian.

Itinuturing na lang na ito ay normal, at ang masama pa ay iniisip ng marami na nararapat lang daw itong gawin.

Nakikiisa kami sa layuning pagbabago na hinahangad ng marami nating mga kababayan.

 

Ngunit ang pagbabago ay dapat gabayan ng katotohanan at katarungan.

***

Ang hakbang na ito ng Simbahang Katolika ay bahagi ng katungkulan nitong alalayan ang mga tupa, lalo na sa mga ganitong panahong kailangan natin ng tamang paggabay.

Sa pagtalakay ng sulat ukol sa giyera kontra droga at sa EJKs, hinihikayat nito ang lahat na suriin ang kanilang karakter at kaugalian at timbangin ang mga nangyayari sa ating bayan.

Habang binabasa ng aming kura paroko ang sulat, batid ko na malalim na nakikinig ang mga nasa loob ng simbahan, ­senyales na ramdam naming lahat ang kahalagahan at bigat ng nilalaman nito.

Sa pagwawakas ng kanyang homily, naikuwento pa ng aming kura paroko ang nangyaring pagpatay sa isang drug surrenderee sa tapat ng kanyang bahay na nasasakupan ng aming parokya.

***

Habang patuloy ang ating matinding drug war, alalahanin natin ang sabi ng CBCP Pastoral Letter, “Kapag sinang-­ayunan o pinabayaan natin ang patuloy na pagpapapatay sa mga itinuturing nalulong sa droga at mga nagtutulak nito, kasama na t­ayong mananagot sa pagpatay sa kanila.”

Bam to consult students on planned ROTC revival

Nakonsulta ba ang mga estudyante tungkol dito?

Sen. Bam Aquino wants students and their parents to speak up on the government’s plan to revive the Reserved Officers Training Course (ROTC) for Grades 11 and 12.

 “We want to know the students’ position on this matter,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

 Sen. Bam called on students, student councils and parents’ associations to express their views on this plan by submitting position papers to his committee.

 “We will also be conducting online poll through our social media sites to give students and parents an avenue to voice out their opinion before we conduct hearings on this issue,” Sen. Bam stressed.

 At present, three bills calling for the revival of the ROTC are pending with the Committee on Education – Senate Bills 1131, 200 and 189, authored by Sens. JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian and Manny Pacquiao, respectively.

 The ROTC became optional in 2002 through Republic Act 9163 or the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001

Bam on death penalty: Sobra na ang patayan, huwag nang dagdagan pa!

Sobra na ang patayan, huwag nang dagdagan pa!

 Sen. Bam Aquino made this pronouncement as he objected to the restoration of the death penalty amid the unabated and unsolved extrajudicial killings in the country.

During the hearing of the Committee on Justice, Sen. Bam requested concerned government agencies to submit statistics and pertinent data to determine if the justice system and proposed death penalty is biased against the poor.

 “Mga Pilipino ba na naghihirap at desperado sa buhay ang nabibilanggo? Let’s look at the numbers and determine whether our justice system is anti-poor,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam urged the committee to invite a representative from the Supreme Court to clarify unconfirmed reports that 71 percent of death penalty cases reviewed by the High Court were determined to be wrong.

 The senator also wants economic managers and officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to speak about the impact of death penalty on jobs and trade agreements entered into by the government in the past.

 “This move will also affect some of the treaties, conventions, and agreements we’ve already signed up to,” he added.

 Instead of restoring the death penalty, Sen. Bam stressed the need to strengthen the country’s justice system.

“In the same way the PNP is now conducting an internal cleansing as they undertake the war on drugs, our justice system must also undergo reforms to ensure that no innocent Filipino is convicted and that there is true justice for the poor,” said Sen. Bam.

BIDA KA!: Bunutin ang masasamang damo

Mga bida, panibagong drama na naman ang natunghayan ng sambayanang Pilipino noong Huwebes sa pagbubukas ng pagdinig ukol sa “tokhang for ransom” kung saan ang biktima ay isang negosyanteng South Korean.

Kalunus-lunos ang sinapit ni Jee Ick Joo sa mga kamay ng ­dumukot sa kanya noong Oktubre ng nakaraang taon.

Matapos patayin sa sakal sa loob mismo ng Camp Crame, ang headquarters ng Philippine National­ ­Police, dinala sa isang punerarya sa Caloocan ang kanyang mga labi at pina-cremate. Ang kanyang mga abo ay itinapon sa isang inidoro.

Ang masakit pa nito, humingi pa ang mga suspect ng limang milyong piso sa asawa ng negosyante para sa kanyang kalayaan.

Nang lumapit sa media si Choi Kyung-jin upang humingi ng tulong sa pagkawala ng asawa, ilang pangalan ang lumutang — sina SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, SPO4 Roy Villegas at Supt. Rafael Dumlao.

***

Noong Huwebes, nagharap sina Sta. Isabel at Dumlao sa imbestigasyon ng committee on public order and dangerous drugs na pinamumunuan ni Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Tulad nang inaasahan, nagpalitan lang ng akusasyon at nagturuan lang itong sina Sta. Isabel at Dumlao.

Ayon kay Sta. Isabel, si Dumlao ang mastermind at siyang pumatay sa negosyanteng South Korean. Katwiran pa niya, nasa ibang lugar siya nang mangyari ang pagdukot kay Joo at pineke lang ang plaka ng kanyang sasakyan na sinasabing ­ginamit sa operasyon.

Pagtatanggol naman ni Dumlao, si Sta. Isabel ang may gawa ng lahat at idinawit lang siya sa krimen.

 

Si SPO4 Villegas naman, itinuro si Sta. Isabel na siyang pumatay sa Koreano sa pamamagitan ng pagsakal.

***

Sa harap ng palitan ng akusasyon, isa lang ang napatunaya­n sa kasong ito. Mayroong mga pulis na nagsasamantala sa ­giyera ng pamahalaan kontra ilegal na droga para sa pansariling pakinabang.

Kahit ano pa ang gawing turuan at pagtanggi nina Sta. Isabel­ at Dumlao, hindi maitatanggi na ang nangyaring pagpatay sa Koreano ay isang pagsasamantala ng ilang tiwaling ­pulis sa kampanya laban sa droga.

Sa ulat, may 11 iba pang kahalintulad na kaso ang nangyari sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa, lalo na sa Angeles City at ­Bulacan, kung saan ang mga biktima ay pawang mga dayuhan.

Lalo pang nabigyang diin ang pag-abuso ng mga pulis sa ipinakitang video ni Sen. Ping kung saan makikita ang ilang nakasibilyan na nagtatanim ng shabu sa isang tanggapan bago ito pinasok ng mga pulis.

***

Nang mabigyan tayo ng pagkakataong makapagtanong, pinayuhan natin si PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa na kasabay ng pinaigting na laban kontra droga, dapat ding bigyang ­pansin ang paglilinis sa hanay ng kapulisan.

Maliban sa ito’y nakababahala, ang mga ulat ng pag-abuso ng kapulisan ay nakakahina sa pundasyong itinayo ng pamahalaan laban sa ilegal na droga.

Hindi rin sapat ang pagsibak sa posisyon. Dapat tiyakin ng PNP na maaalis sa serbisyo at masasampahan ng kaukulang kasong kriminal ang mga mapatutunayang sabit sa nasabing krimen.

Sa ganitong paraan, magdadalawang-isip ang mga masasamang damo sa PNP na gumawa ng ilegal habang maka­tutulong ito para muling magtiwala ang taumba­yan sa ating kapulisan.

***

Kaya naman isa tayo sa mga natuwa nang ihayag ni PNP Chief Dela Rosa na pansaman­talang ititigil ng orga­ni­sasyon ang giyera kontra droga at tututok muna sa paglilinis sa kanilang hanay.

Naniniwala tayo na sa pamamagitan nito, mawawala na ang mga masasamang elemento sa PNP na nagsasamantala sa giyera kontra droga at muling babalik ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa ating mga alagad ng batas.

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