bam aquino bill

Bam: Truth about Martial Law must still be taught in schools

Sen. Bam Aquino’s push for truthful and objective Martial Law education in schools is one of the ways to move forward after the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the burial of former president Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“It’s really disappointing but we will continue to work with DepEd on truthful and accurate Martial Law education. That’s how we can move forward,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

The senator pointed out that the young people have to be informed about the human rights abuses committed during the Marcos’ reign.

 Sen. Bam stressed that only way the country can move on from this is if the Marcos family apologizes for their wrongdoings and return the money they have stolen from the country’s coffers during the late dictator’s rule.

“Moving on is fine pero kung titingnan mo, wala naman silang perang binalik. Wala namang pagpapapatawad na hiningi,” said Sen. Bam.

 Earlier, Sen. Bam denounced the SC decision, saying it focused only on technicalities and did not give weight on historical facts about what happened during the Martial Law era.

 “Technically correct, pero historically wrong ang nangyaring desisyon,” the senator said.

BIDA KA!: Libreng kolehiyo

Mga bida, isa sa mga mahalagang panukalang batas na ating isinusulong bilang chairman ng Committee on Education ay ang libreng edukasyon sa state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Maliban sa inyong lingkod, lima pang senador ang nagsumite ng panukalang gawing libre ang pag-aaral sa SUCs.

Magkakaiba man ang nilalaman at detalye ng mga panukalang ito, iisa lang ang direksiyon na tinutumbok ng mga ito – ang bigyan ng libreng pag-aaral sa SUCs ang mga kapus-palad nating mga kababayan na nais magtapos ng kolehiyo.

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Noong nakaraang Miyerkules, nagsagawa ng pagdinig ang ating kumite sa mga nasabing panukala. Ang pagdinig na ito ay dinaluhan ng iba’t ibang sektor na nagbigay ng kanilang komento at suhestiyon ukol sa panukalang batas.

Nagpahayag ng pangamba ang ilang sektor, lalo na sa pag-alis ng mga estudyante mula pribadong paaralan kapag ginawang libre ang tuition sa SUCs.

Isa pang pangamba ay kung paano epektibong ipatutupad ang panukala. May mga nagsabing dapat naka-target siya sa tipo ng kurso at may iba namang nagpanukala na nakatuon siya sa kakayahan ng estudyante na magbayad.

May nagbanggit naman na maging may kaya man o wala, basta nasa loob ng SUCs, ay dapat libre na ang edukasyon.

Maliban sa tuition fee, pabor din ang iba na isama sa saklaw ng panukala ang miscellaneous expenses, living expenses at iba pang bayarin upang lubos na makatulong sa mga nanga­ngailangan.

Ito ang ilan lang sa mga isyu na kailangang resolbahin upang matiyak na matutupad nito ang hangarin nating mabigyan ng libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo ang mahihirap ngunit determinado nating mga kababayan.

Kaya nakatakda pang magsagawa ng ilang technical working group ang kumite kasama ang iba’t ibang sektor upang mapag-usapan at maplantsa ang mga mabusising isyu.

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Subalit sa dami ng mga sumusuporta sa libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo, tiwala ako na maisasabatas ito sa loob ng isang taon.

Sa huling tala, nasa P9 bilyon ang koleksiyon ng SUCs mula sa tuition fee ngunit sa aking palagay, hindi ito ang dapat tingnan.

Mas dapat bigyang bigat ng pamahalaan ay tulungan ang mga kabataan nating kapus-palad ngunit determinadong mag-aral na makatapos ng kolehiyo.

Sabi nga, dapat pagbuhusan ng pondo ang mga prayoridad na proyekto at programa ng gobyerno.

At kung mahalaga ang edukasyon, nararapat nga itong paglaanan ng pondo upang ang lahat ay makinabang, lalo na ang mahihirap.

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Maliban sa libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo, isa pa nating adbokasiya ay ang lalo pang pagpapaganda ng kalidad ng edukasyon sa ating mga SUCs.

Kumbaga, ang libreng edukasyon sa SUCs ay nakatuon sa pagbibigay ng access o pagkakataon sa mga mahihirap na makatapos ng kolehiyo.

Subalit hiwalay nating isinusulong ay ang lalo pang pagpapaganda sa sistema ng edukasyon sa SUCs sa pamamagitan ng mahahalagang reporma.

Kabilang sa mga repormang ito ay ang paglalaan ng pondo para sa mga dagdag na suweldo at benepisyo para sa mga guro at kailangang pasilidad at kagamitan ng SUCs.

Maliban pa rito, dapat ding tiyakin na ang mga kursong iaalok ng SUCs ay nakakonekta sa mga industriya upang mas madali ang paghahanap ng trabaho ng graduates.

Ito’y ilan lang sa ating mga tututukan at tatrabahuin bilang chairman ng Committee on Education ngayong 17th Congress.

Bam to work for passage of free education in SUCs

Sen. Bam Aquino expressed confidence that the measure giving free education to all students in State Colleges and Universities (SUC) will be passed within a year.
 
“We’re quite hopeful that this will pass. Mahalaga na mabigyan ng tulong ang ating mahihirap na estudyante sa SUC. Marami sa amin ang talagang tinutulak ito,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education, after hearing several proposals to give free tertiary education in all SUCs. 
 
Sen. Bam has filed Senate Bill No. 177 or the Free Higher Education for All Act giving free tuition fee to all students in SUCs.
 
The senator said the committee will hold several technical working groups to iron out and consolidate provisions of the different measures and come up with a version that will truly help poor students who want to finish college.
 
“I think we owe it to our students to go through a tedious process to refine the bill. But I’m confident that we can get this done within a year,” said Sen. Bam.
 
During the hearing, several sectors pushed different methods to implement the measure. Some groups want to focus on courses that student will take while others believe that it should be based on the student’s capacity to pay.
 
Different groups also raised the possibility of expanding the measure’s coverage by providing poor students with miscellaneous expenses, transportation expenses and living expenses, in addition to a free tuition fee.
 
Aside from improving access to tertiary education, Sen. Bam said he will also work to improve the quality of education in SUCs.
 
“Just because we’re working on this bill, hindi ibig sabihin kakalimutan na natin ang kalidad. We have to ensure quality as well as access,” said Sen. Bam.
 
“Kung itutulak mo ito (free tuition fee) plus magsabay ka ng intervention sa kalidad, mas gaganda ang quality ng SUCs,” he added.

 

Bam wants to involve youth in government’s disaster preparedness efforts

A senator wants to tap the youth in disaster preparedness by giving them an active role in the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
 
In his Senate Bill No. 686 or the Youth Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, Sen. Bam Aquino proposes to include the Filipino youth in the government’s disaster risk reduction body to recognize their role in DRRM.
 
The measure also seeks to empower the youth with information and skills to help communities in times of crisis.
 
“With impending disasters in the country’s future, it is important to move from post-disaster relief to proactive disaster preparedness. And as the nation moves in this direction, it is important to include young Filipinos in this evolving discussion,” said Sen. Bam.
 
In the measure, the National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman will be included in the NDRRMC to voice out the concerns and proposals of the Filipino youth on disaster prevention, promotion, education, rescue and rehabilitation, among others.
 
“There is nothing to lose but so much to gain from engaging the youth in responding to natural calamities,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam recognized several youth organizations that have served as volunteer firefighters, first responders and peacekeepers in their respective localities.
 
The Cebu-based Rescue Assistance Peacekeeping Intelligence Detail or RAPID was the one of the first responders in Tacloban City after the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda.
 
“The group also helped rescue passengers of a passenger vessel that collided with a cargo ship in Cebu last year,” Sen. Bam said.
 
The Ormoc City-based Hayag Youth Organization, for its part, has been teaching swimming, disaster preparedness, first aid and open water safety training to the youth.
 
Today (October 13), the country joins the international community in commemorating the International Day for Disaster Reduction.

Gov’t, private stakeholders back Trabaho Centers in Schools Act

Government agencies and private stakeholders expressed support for Sen. Bam Aquino’s measure to establish Trabaho Centers in Senior High Schools (SHS) all over the country as means to address unemployment and underemployment among youth.

 During the hearing of the Committee on Education, chaired by Sen. Bam Aquino, the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) all backed Senate Bill No. 170.

“Natutuwa naman tayo na full support ang DepEd, DOLE, TESDA. Kung pumasa po ito, magkakaroon ng job placement centers sa bawat senior high schools natin,” said Sen. Bam after the hearing on the Trabaho Center in Schools Act.

 If passed into law, Sen. Bam said it can help Senior High School (SHS) find employment that fits their skill set and the career path they have chosen.

 “Napakahalaga po iyon kasi iyong reporma ng K-12, nakasalalay po diyan iyong employability ng ating mga estudyante,” Sen. Bam emphasized.

With an estimated 50 percent of Senior High School students not going to college, Sen. Bam stressed the need to help them find employment after they graduate through Trabaho Centers.

“Maganda kung alam na agad ng estudyante kung ano ba ang job market sa lugar, ano ang opportunities na puwede nilang pasukin at kung ano ang skills na kailangan nilang makuha para qualified sila sa mga job opening sa lugar,” said Sen. Bam.

 The proposal is also aimed at addressing the prevalent jobs mismatch, which is being blamed as major cause of youth unemployment, which stands at 15.7 percent.

 “Kung wala po iyon, we will continue to have a jobs mismatch, we will continue to have roughly five percent unemployment, almost 20 percent underemployment at marami pa sa mga kababayan natin, mahihirapan on their day to day,” said Sen. Bam.

The Trabaho Center in Schools Act will help ensure that Senior High School graduates under the K to 12 program have the appropriate knowledge, values, and skills to address the needs of the job market

The Center will focus on three main things – career counseling services, employment facilitation and industry matching.

“Siguraduhin natin na hindi masasayang ang pagod ng ating mga guro, estudyante, at pati ng kanilang magulang. Pagtapos ng senior high school o ng kolehiyo ay dapat may angkop na trabahong naghihintay para sa mga graduates,” Sen. Bam said.

Bam eyes protection for PH freelancers

With freelancing now a growing sector in the country’s labor force, Sen. Bam Aquino has filed a measure seeking to protect the rights and welfare of freelancers.

 “With more and more freelancers in the country, we are confronted with an urgent need to protect this new sector and empower them with ease of doing business,” Sen. Bam said in Senate Bill No 351.

 According to Sen. Bam, the bill gives freelancers the power to demand from their employer what they are rightfully due under their agreement.

 If an employer refuses to pay a freelancer for services rendered, the latter can file a complaint to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), which can impose a penalty of up to P250,000 on the non-compliant party if found liable.

 “Further civil penalties will also be imposed for every day that the employer refuses to compensate the freelancer. The aggrieved party has the option of filing a civil case against his or her employer,” said Sen. Bam.

 The measure also makes it easier for freelancers to register in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and mandates that they be exempted from tax payments for the first three years.

 “Let us waste no time in ensuring that they are not inconvenienced by red tape and that they are protected from difficult, even fraudulent clients,” said Sen. Bam.

 The bill was referred to the Committees on Labor and Ways and Means.

Bam to solve jobs mismatch through Trabaho Centers in schools

Sen. Bam Aquino wants to solve the jobs mismatch problem in the country by establishing strategic employment centers in our senior high schools and ensuring SUCs offer courses that cater to the needs of their local industries.

​“To address the jobs mismatch, we need to​ ​bridge the gap between the private sector and schools ​so we can make sure graduates are well suited for job openings in the area,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education in the 17th Congress.

​Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 170 or the Trabaho Center in Schools Act will help ensure that Senior High School graduates under the K to 12 program have the appropriate knowledge, values, and skills to address the needs of the job market

​According to Sen. Bam, the Trabaho Center will focus on three main things – career counseling services, employment facilitation and industry matching.

​Sen. Bam also enjoined SUCs to reassess the courses they are offering to match the needs of the region’s private sector, thus increasing chances that college graduates will be employed in their locality.

​​In a 2014 study, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) revealed that job skills mismatch is a major cause of youth unemployment, which stands at 15.7 percent.

 ​The number of jobless youth, aging from 15 to 24, accounts for 49.8 percent of all unemployed in the Philippines.

​”Siguraduhin natin na hindi masasayang ang pagod ng ating mga guro, estudyante, at pati ng kanilang magulang. Pagtapos ng senior high school o ng kolehiyo ay dapat may angkop na trabahong naghihintay para sa mga graduates,” Sen. Bam said.

Bam: Look after children during state of lawlessness, armed conflict

A senator called on concerned government agencies to ensure the welfare and safety of civilians, especially the children, affected by the administration’s drive against the Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao and the perpetrators of the Davao bombing.

 “The welfare of our Filipino children should be the utmost priority since they are one of the most vulnerable sectors during these times of lawlessness and armed conflict,” said Sen. Bam Aquino.

 According to Sen. Bam, Republic Act 10821, or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act provides utmost protection to Filipino children during disasters, calamities and armed conflicts.

 “Kasabay ng ating kampanya laban sa Abu Sayyaf, huwag nating kaligtaan ang kapakanan, pangangailangan at kaligtasan ng mga taong naaapektuhan ng bakbakan, lalo na ang mga bata,” said Sen. Bam, a co-author of the measure, which he filed during his tenure as chairman of the Committee on Youth in the 16th Congress.

 “Mahalagang matiyak natin na mayroon silang pansamantalang matutuluyan, pagkain, gamot, damit at iba pang pangangailangan habang naghihintay na maging normal ang sitwasyon sa kanilang lugar,” he added.

 The law gives priority to children during and after every disaster, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and man-made disasters such as war and armed conflict.

 It will also establish child-centered training to disaster first responders, teachers, psychologists and other volunteers in disaster recovery, relief and rehabilitation, with special modules for different stages of children and youth development.

 It mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to formulate a Comprehensive Emergency Program for Children and local government units to integrate the said program in their development and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRM) plans and budget.

According to Sen. Bam, existing policies will also be reviewed to give better support to Filipino children, especially during disasters, calamities or in armed conflict to help lessen trauma, restore normalcy quickly and build their resilience better.

 “We will continue to work in protecting our Filipino children during disasters, calamities, or armed conflict, but also to reduce trauma and build their resistance to these threats,” he added.

Senate Bill No. 1532: Innovative Startup Act

At the 2015 APEC Summit, the world saw a glimpse of Philippine innovation as Aisa Mijeno shared the story of her SALt Lamp, a lamp that is powered by saltwater, suitable for households along the rural coastal villages that have little or no stable access to electricity.

It is vital that we give all such ideas the chance to come to life. Through this bill, Filipinos with excellent startup business ideas will benefit by being given the necessary support—in terms of registration, incentives, subsidies, funding, technical assistance, accreditation and assessment, and a budding pool of talented workers that will aid them in the steep uphill one faces when putting up a business.

This bill aims to put in place the ecosystem necessary to cultivate startups in the Philippines.

By supporting the startup ecosystem from focal points, we ensure that startups have a reasonable chance at success and are given the opportunity to impact society with innovative business and products that can truly help us achieve our imperative of inclusive economic growth. 

By creating the ecosystem for startups to operate, we bring more citizens into the fold of inventive and socially conscious entrepreneurship.

In view of the foregoing, the passing of this bill is urgently sought. 

PDFicon DOWNLOAD SBN 1532

 

Bam seeks to help graduates secure jobs through Trabaho Centers

A senator has filed a measure establishing Trabaho Centers in Senior High Schools all over the country, in a bid to bridge the gap between education and employment and address job mismatch.

 Sen. Bam Aquino’s Senate Bill No. 170 or the Trabaho Center in Schools Act will help Senior High School graduates under the K to 12 program, who chose to enter employment find opportunities through a job placement office.

 The measure will amend Section 9 of Republic Act No. 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 that implements the K to 12, to include Trabaho Centers under its scope.

 “While we work on equipping our graduates with the adequate skills to join the workforce, let us also bridge that gap between education and employment through the Trabaho Centers,” said Sen. Bam.

 According to Sen. Bam, the Trabaho Center will focus on three main things – career counseling services, employment facilitation and industry matching.

 “Career counseling services shall be offered to help guide the students on the tracks they choose in Senior High School while Employment Facilitation is envisioned to assist the needs of a job seeker or the senior high school student,” explained Sen. Bam.

 Through industry matching, the needs of companies will be addressed by providing them graduate listings and resume profiling of students.

 The Public Employment Services Office (PESO) and TESDA will join forces to create a thorough database of job opportunities in the locality and immediately coordinate further training that might be needed based on particular employment opportunities.

 “Through the Trabaho Centers, the needs of our nation’s graduates, businesses in the country, and the vision of the Department of Education come together to make the most of our curriculum reform and help us move closer to shared prosperity,” said Sen. Bam.

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