Month: May 2018

Sen. Bam Aquino is lone opposition, dissenting vote in Magic 12

As the lone opposition member within the top 12 in recent senatorial surveys, Senator Bam Aquino underscored the need for a dissenting voice amid contentious reforms and controversies hounding the Duterte administration. 

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa taumbayan at naisama ako sa top 12. Kailangan ng mga senador na handang tumutol sa mga programa ng administrasyon na hindi makatutulong sa pamilyang Pilipino. Mahalaga na balanse ang Senado,” said Sen. Bam, who was the only re-electionist senator who opposed the ratification of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. 

“We must strengthen the independence of the Senate by electing officials who are not afraid to oppose the administration and join the minority, especially now that the Supreme Court has shown its blatant bias. Kailangan ng mga senador na maninindigan para sa taumbayan, para sa demokrasya,” Sen. Bam added. 

Sen. Bam placed 11th in the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted last April 7 to 11 with respondents of 1,200. In the latest Pulse Asia senatorial survey conducted from March 23 to 28, he was also the lone opposition who made it to the top 12, landing in a tie for 10th place. 

Sen. Bam was one of four senators, and the only re-electionist senator, who voted against the ratification of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, due to the expected price increases and negative impact on poor Filipino families. 

Recently, Sen. Bam submitted Senate Bill No. 1798 that seeks to amend the controversial tax reform program that will suspend the collection of excise tax on fuel once inflation rate breaches the prescribed “target range.” 

In Sen. Bam’s measure, the excise tax on fuel under TRAIN will be suspended when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.  

“Kailangan na muna nating i-preno ang TRAIN dahil marami na itong nasasagasaan na mahihirap na Pilipino sa dala nitong pagtaas sa presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam Aquino votes in Concepcion, Tarlac barangay elections

Sen. Bam Aquino, along with his wife Timi, proudly exercised their right to vote in this year’s barangay elections in Concepcion, Tarlac.

 Sen. Bam, who opposed any further postponements to the barangay and SK elections, encouraged Filipinos to participate in our democracy by voting.

“Bumoto tayo at lumahok sa eleksiyon. Mahalaga ito sa kasalukuyang panahon na kailangang marinig ang ating mga boses,” said Sen. Bam, who is the lone opposition member within the top 12 in recent senatorial surveys.

 “Huwag nating sayangin ang ating pagkakataong bumoto. Piliin natin ang mga lider na totoong magsisilbi at magbabantay sa karapatan at kapakanan ng mga Pilipino,” Sen. Bam said.

Sen. Bam: Use your voice, exercise right to vote amid assault on PH democracy

Senator Bam Aquino encouraged Filipinos to participate in and strengthen our democracy by voting in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday. 

“Ipakita natin na pinahahalalagahan natin ang ating boto, ang ating boses,” said Sen. Bam, who protested the Supreme Court’s decision to oust, via quo warranto, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. 

“Bumoto tayo at lumahok sa eleksiyon. Mahalaga ito sa kasalukuyang panahon na kailangang marinig ang ating mga boses,” added Sen. Bam. 

In a protest rally against the quo warranto decision of the Supreme Court, Sen. Bam said the decision was a blatant disregard of the Constitution and puts the rights of every Filipino at risk. 

With the government’s disrespect for our Constitution and our democracy, Sen. Bam says the right to speak and protest, and the right to vote have become even more valuable. 

“Huwag nating sayangin ang ating pagkakataong bumoto. Piliin natin ang mga lider na totoong magsisilbi at magbabantay sa karapatan at kapakanan ng mga Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam. 

Sen. Bam is among the minority senators and continues to oppose reforms he believes do not benefit the Filipino people. Sen. Bam is one out of the four senators who voted against the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law. 

“Mahihirap na pamilya ang masasagasaan ng TRAIN, kaya tayo tumutol dito,” Sen. Bam said. 

Sen. Bam: Poor Filipinos are collateral damage of TRAIN and Build-Build-Build

Senator Bam Aquino urged the government to put the welfare of poor Filipinos first, instead of letting them become collateral damage of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

”Hindi puwedeng collateral damage ang ating mga kababayan sa hangarin na magkaroon ng maraming tulay at kalsada sa bansa. Habang mahalaga ang infrastructure projects, huwag nating hayaang magdusa ang mahihirap na kababayan natin,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Act.

Sen. Bam was reacting to Department of Finance’s claim that funds for free college education and salary hike of uniformed personnel will be affected if the TRAIN Act is suspended.

The senator said the government should balance statistics with the welfare of Filipino families carrying the burden of high prices of goods and services due to the TRAIN Law.

“Ang problema, kapag puro numero ang tinitingnan, nakakalimutan ang mamamayan. Pakinggan naman natin ang hinaing ng mga nasasagasaan ang TRAIN Law,” said Sen. Bam, also the principal sponsor of the free college law in the Senate.

“Napakatindi na ng pag-aray ng ating mga kababayan sa pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” he added.

Sen. Bam said the DOF’s pronouncement was baseless since the government has an unobligated appropriations amounting to P390 billion in the 2017 national budget.

“Malinaw na may pera ang pamahalaan kaya maling sabihin na hindi mapopondohan ang libreng kolehiyo. Huwag ipagkait sa mga estudyante ang libreng kolehiyo,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam recently filed a measure seeking to suspend the TRAIN Law, particularly the excise tax on fuel, once inflation rate breaches the prescribed “target range.”

In Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 1798, the excise tax on fuel under TRAIN will be suspended when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period.

During the TRAIN’s deliberation, senators approved Sen. Bam’s amendment to include a safeguard where the implementation of TRAIN Law will be stopped once inflation rate breaches the “target range.”

However, the provision was not included in the bicameral conference committee and the approved version of the measure.

Sen. Bam on CJ Sereno’s removal

Talo na naman ang taumbayan.

Ano pa ang laban ng karaniwang Pilipino kung ang Chief Justice ay kayang tanggalin nang basta-basta at hindi batay sa tamang proseso?

Patuloy akong naninindigan na ang tamang proseso sa pagtanggal ng isang impeachable official ay sa pamamagitan ng impeachment court sa Senado.

Binalewala ang prosesong nakasaad sa Saligang Batas.

Natanggalan ang publiko ng karapatang malaman ang totoo at suriin ang kaso.

Tila ang may kapangyarihan na lang ang magdidikta ng hustisya. Talo na naman ang mga Pilipinong walang kalaban-laban.

Sen. Bam to govt: Care for poor families, support TRAIN suspension

Senator Bam Aquino called on the government to prioritize poor Filipinos and support the suspension of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, particularly the excise tax on fuel. 
 
Sen. Bam made this pronouncement as he filed Senate Bill No. 1798 that seeks to amend the controversial tax reform program that will suspend the collection of excise tax on fuel once inflation rate breaches the prescribed “target range.” 
 
“We must protect Filipinos from the rising prices of goods and services,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the TRAIN law’s ratification. 
 
“Milyon-milyon ang mga pamilyang nababalisa tuwing tumataas ang presyo ng bilihin tulad ng bigas, sardinas, kuryente at pamasahe,” said Sen. Bam, adding that the government needs to play an active role in managing inflation and ensure that our countrymen can survive the rise in prices. 
 
“Kakaunti na lang ang nabibili ng pera ng pamilyang Pilipino dahil sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin na dulot ng TRAIN,” added Sen. Bam. 
 
In his measure, the excise tax on fuel under TRAIN will be suspended when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target over a three-month period. 
 
“It is our responsibility to be flexible and responsive when the weight of inflation becomes too heavy for the poor Filipino families to bear,” said Sen. Bam. 
 
During the TRAIN’s deliberation, senators approved Sen. Bam’s amendment to include a safeguard where the implementation of TRAIN Law will be stopped once inflation rate breaches the “target range.” 
 
However, the provision was not included in the bicameral conference committee and the approved version of the measure.

Senate Bill 1798: Automatic Suspension of the Excise Tax on Fuel Under RA 10963 (TRAIN Law)

Philippine laws must protect, serve and empower the Filipino people.

One major threat we need to protect our countrymen from is inflation – rising prices of goods and services that put a strain on the average Filipino’s daily struggle.

By the end of  2017, over 10 million Filipino families still considered themselves poor. That is 10 million households struggling to provide food and shelter, striving to earn education and desperately searching  to find sufficient livelihood.

Higit sa sampung milyong pamilya ang nababalisa tuwing tumtaas ang presyo ng bilihin tulad ng bigas, sardinas, kuryente at pamasahe.

More than just tightening their budget, these families will have to scramble for higher pay, for odd jobs and ‘sidelines’, and even micro-loans just to cover basic household expenses.

With so many Filipinos living in the fringes, the government needs to play an active role in managing inflation and ensure that our countrymen can survive the rising prices.

As such, this measure seeks to protect underprivileged Filipino families from increasing fuel prices, and its effect on the prices of goods and services, by suspending the excise tax on fuel under TRAIN when the average inflation rate surpasses the annual inflation target range over a three-month period.

Should the average inflation rate stabilize and fall below the annual target for three consecutive months, then the Department of Finance (DOF) will have the prerogative to lift the suspension and re-impose the excise tax on fuel based on its rate at the time of suspension.

While we have little control over global fuel prices, the imposition of excise taxes in our hands.

It is our responsibility to be flexible and responsive when the weight of inflation becomes too heavy for the poor Filipino families to bear.

Progress cannot be built at the expense of hungry Filipinos with little opportunity to improve their day-to-day lives.

Our challenge is to strike a balance between our macroeconomic goals and providing relief and support to Filipinos with the least in our society; and with open minds, open hearts, creativity and innovation, I believe we can find that delicate balance and create a prosperous future for all.

 

DOWNLOAD SBN 1798

 

 

 

Sen. Bam to hit the brakes on TRAIN Law

Senator Bam Aquino will file a measure that will restore his earlier proposal to stop the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law once the inflation rate breaches “target range.”

“Importanteng may mga safeguards ang TRAIN para mai-preno ang pagpataw buwis kapag sumobra ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin,” said Sen. Bam during the hearing of the Committee on Economic Affairs on TRAIN Law. 

“We pushed for these safeguards even before the TRAIN Law was passed, but they were disregarded. Siguro ngayong nakikita nilang nahihirapan na ang taumbayan, susuportahan na nila ang amyenda kong ito,” said Sen. Bam, one of four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN Law. 

During the TRAIN deliberations, the Senate approved Sen. Bam’s amendment to include a safeguard where the implementation of TRAIN Law will be stopped once it breached the “target range.” 

However, Sen. Bam said the provision was not included in the bicameral conference committee and the approved version of the measure. 

“Kung hindi inalis ang safeguard na ito, napatigil na sana natin ang TRAIN Law ngayong napakataas na ng presyo ng mga bilihin,” said Sen. Bam. 

Earlier, Sen. Bam warned the country’s economic managers, led by the Department of Finance (DOF), that will country’s inflation rate will surpass the four-percent mark due to the TRAIN Law. 

“Noon pa tayo nagbabala sa pamahalaan na ang mahihirap ang masasagasaan ng TRAIN, kaya tayo kumontra sa pagpasa nito. Kailangan nating banggain ang mga repormang lalong nagpapahirap sa taumbayan,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam to push for TRAIN suspension to ease price crisis

After months of calling for a review on the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), Senator Bam Aquino expects tomorrow’s Senate probe on TRAIN and inflation to produce tangible results, even look into the suspension of excise taxes.

“Sa aking pag-iikot sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa, umaalma na ang taumbayan sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin. Napakatindi ng epekto ng TRAIN sa presyo ng bilihin na nagpapahirap sa ating mga kababayan,” said Sen. Bam, one of the four senators who voted against the ratification of the TRAIN law.

“We owe it to the Filipino people, especially the poor, to ensure that TRAIN is not making lives more difficult. We must look for immediate solutions, like the suspension of excise taxes,” Sen. Bam added.

Sen. Bam was referring to the excise tax on petroleum products under the TRAIN Act, which imposes P7 and P2.50 additional levy on gasoline and diesel, respectively.

“Umaalma na ang taumbayan sa presyo ng bilihin. Baka panahon nang ipasuspinde ang excise tax para mabawasan ang pasanin ng mga Pilipino,” said Sen. Bam.

As early as January, Sen. Bam filed Senate Resolution No. 597, urging the appropriate Senate committee to scrutinize the implementation of the unconditional cash transfer to ensure that it is sufficient to cover the increase in prices of goods and other services.

More recently, Sen. Bam also filed Senate Resolution No. 704, urging the appropriate Senate Committees to conduct an inquiry on the TRAIN’s inflationary impact and effect on the economy, particularly the P7 and P2.50 excise tax increase on gasoline and diesel, respectively.

The Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, will conduct the hearing on the effects of TRAIN on the prices of goods and services and in the inflation rate, which reached a five-year high in April at 4.5 percent.

Sen. Bam: Stop recycling of corrupt officials

The President is sending mixed messages again, this time on the issue of corruption. 
 
May malinaw na double standard sa patuloy na pag recycle sa mga opisyal na nasasangkot sa anomalya gaya nina Nicanor Faeldon, Jason Aquino at iba pa. 
 
Kung seryoso tayo sa pagpapatupad ng mga hangarin laban sa korapsyon, hindi na ibabalik ang mga opisyal na nasangkot sa korupsyon at kakasuhan ang mga ito.
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