magna carta for the scientists

Sen. Bam’s bills for startups, scientists and students one signature away from becoming laws

Three measures principally sponsored and/or authored by Sen. Bam Aquino moved closer to becoming laws after their bicameral conference committee reports were ratified by the Senate late Wednesday. 
 
On the last day of regular session, the Senate adopted and ratified the bicameral conference committee report on Senate Bill No. 1532 or the Innovative Startup Act and Senate Bill No. 1534 or the Magna Carta for Scientists.
 
The Senate also ratified the bicameral conference committee report on Senate Bill No. 1597 or the Student Fare Discount Act, which was principally authored by Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam pushed for the passage of Senate Bill No. 1532 as principal author and sponsor and of Senate Bill 1534 as principal sponsor during his time as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.
 
The three measures will be transmitted to Malacanang for President Duterte’s signature. 
 
If enacted into law, Senate Bill No. 1532 will provide support to innovative and tech startups, which pertain to businesses that provide unique and relevant solutions to pressing problems, such as transportation, financing, agriculture and healthcare.
 
Under the measure, host agencies, including DOST, DICT and DTI, are authorized to provide subsidies to innovative startups to help defray the costs of business registration, and the use of space, facilities, equipment and other services for their operations. Start ups will also receive subsidies for travel costs related to their participation in local and international start up events and competitions. 
 
In addition, the law creates a Start Up Grant Fund administered by DOST, DICT, and DTI to provide grants-in-aid for research, training, expansion, or scaling up and a Start Up Venture Fund administers by DTI to fund match investments in start ups by investors.
 
Senate Bill No. 1534 eyes to remove set limits on additional honoraria sourced from externally funded grants for S&T professions and foster ease in accessing benefits for S&T personnel in departments and agencies other than the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
 
“Malaking tulong ang dalawang panukalang ito upang lalo pang mapalakas ang sektor ng Science and Technology at para mabigyan ng tamang suporta ang entrepreneurs na may hatid na solusyon sa mga problema sa bansa,” said Sen. Bam.
 
Senate Bill No. 1597, for its part, grants mandatory 20-percent fare discounts to students on all land, air and water transportation, even during weekends and holidays.
 
In almost six years as lawmaker, Sen. Bam has 35 laws to his name, including the landmark free college law and the Go Negosyo Act.

Sen. Bam: PH lacks 19,000 scientists, lags behind in R&D

The Philippines needs 19,000 more scientists working in both government and private sector to turn the country into a significant force in research and development, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.
 
During the hearing of the Committee on Science and Technology, chaired by Sen. Bam, on the Balik Scientist Bill, it was discovered that the Philippines has 189 scientists per million, far from the ideal target of 380 per million.
 
The country pales in comparison with other countries as South Korea and United States have 5,300 and 3,500 scientists per million, respectively. Malaysia, for its part, has 2,000 scientists per million.
 
“Paano tayo makakasabay sa ibang bansa pagdating sa research at development kung kulang tayo ng 19,000 scientists,” said Sen. Bam, author of Senate Bill No. 1183 or the Balik Scientist Bill. 
 
According to Assistant Secretary Teodoro Gatchalian of the Department of Science and Technology, the agency has a budget of P25 million for the Balik Scientist Program. If the bill is approved, the budget will increase significantly, enabling the DOST to attract more Filipinos to return home and serve the country.
 
Sen. Bam hopes that the measure will help address the lack of scientists, caused by the exodus of scientists and researchers to other countries to look for greener pastures.
 
“Sa tulong ng panukalang ito, mahihikayat natin ang mga Filipino scientist sa ibang bansa na bumalik sa Pilipinas at tumulong sa pagpapaunlad ng ating research and development,” said Sen. Bam.
 
The Balik Scientist Bill seeks to provide overseas Filipino scientist with financial benefits and incentives to encourage to return to the Philippines and help boost the country’s research and development.
 
The measure aims to institutionalize the Balik Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), which successfully encouraged some of our scientists to return and contribute to research that will address development gaps in the Philippines.
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