The chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Trade and Commerce have agreed to synchronize their respective legislative agenda, to hasten the passage of important measures that will help boost the economy. In a meeting, Senator Bam Aquino and Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar agreed to pursue the...

Senator Bam Aquino called the huge number of unemployed youth in the country a “growing epidemic” that should be immediately addressed by the government.  “Youth unemployment is a growing epidemic in the Philippines and all over the world,” the senator said during Tuesday’s first-ever hearing of the Senate Committee...

Social enterprise in the Philippines will take centerstage when Senator Bam Aquino discusses his experience in empowering and creating opportunities for the poor during the 2014 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meetings in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, will speak during...

Senator Bam Aquino calls smuggling “an ongoing scandal” and calls on the government to crack down on smuggling to protect local businesses and the interest of workers. The senator warned that many businesses will close shop and thousands of workers will lose their livelihood if the government fails to...

The looming rotating brownouts and power shortage pose a big threat to the economy, as it could lead to huge business losses and massive worker layoffs “This is the same thing that happened in Mindanao, where many companies had to close shop and many workers lost their jobs because...

Lowering the prices of goods is still possible, if key reforms in the shipping industry are undertaken, including a review and amendment of the Cabotage Law. This was stressed by Senator Bam Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, at a hearing conducted by the...

Senator Bam Aquino has urged fellow lawmakers to pass the “Go Negosyo Bill”, which aims to facilitate ease of doing business; enhance support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and create more jobs to boost inclusive growth. During his sponsorship speech for Senate Bill No. 2046, under Committee...

A proposed “People’s Fund Bill”, authored by Senator Bam Aquino, will give taxpayers the power to choose where to allocate five percent of their income tax. Sen. Aquino reiterated this during Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, regarding Senate Bill No. 1356 or the “People’s Fund Bill”....

Senator Bam Aquino pushed for a maximum response time of 24 hours following natural calamities, saying that it “currently takes three to four days for the national government to respond [to disasters].” He likewise called for a “higher level of preparedness… [from government],” as he spoke at the Joint Congressional...

In line with “Urban Poor Solidarity Week”, Senator Bam Aquino welcomes members of the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), led by president Celia Santos, to the Senate.  One of Senator Aquino’s bills is Senate Bill No. 1874, which aims to strengthen Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban Development and...

Senator Bam Aquino calls on Local Development Councils (LDC) to maintain a more active role in disaster and calamity preparedness. Aquino said LDCs will play a crucial role in disaster preparedness, as they involve not only local government units but also people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector....

Senator Bam Aquino calls on the government to provide temporary livelihood to agriculture workers, especially coconut farmers, who lost their main source of income to super typhoon Yolanda. The senator said majority of workers who lost their livelihood are involved in agriculture, which is the primary source of income...