senator bam aquino

NEGOSYO, NOW NA!: ‘Mentor Me’ program

Mga kanegosyo, isa sa mga mahalagang tulong na makukuha ng isang nagsisimula sa negosyo ay ang turo at gabay mula sa isang subok o kilalang negosyante.

Makailang ulit na na-ting binanggit sa ating kolum na ang pagkakaroon ng tamang mentorship ay daan tungo sa matagumpay na negosyo.

Ito ang layunin ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) nang simulan nito ang ‘Mentor Me’ program tatlong buwan na ang nakalilipas.

Sa aming panayam kay DTI Assistant Secretary Bles Lantayona sa programang Go Negosyo sa Radyo sa DZRH kamakailan, mayroon nang dalawang pilot area ang nasabing programa sa Laguna at Mandaluyong.

Sa paliwanag ni ASEC Bles, napakahalaga ang gabay at payo na makukuha ng isang papausbong na negosyante mula sa mentor na bihasa at may malawak na karanasan sa pagnenegosyo.

Kabilang sa mga mentor na nagbibigay ng tulong ay mga matagumpay na entrepreneurs at mga negos­yante na may puso na ibahagi ang kanilang kaalaman at formula sa tagumpay sa mga bagong negosyante.

Ayon kay ASEC Bles, malaking tulong ang karunungang bigay ng ‘mentor’ o iyong mga nagtuturo sa mga ‘mentee’ o iyong mga tuturuan para magtagumpay.

Sa tulong ng magaling na mentor, magkakaroon din ng inspirasyon ang isang mentee upang masundan ang yapak ng nagtuturo.

Mahalaga rin ang pagkakaroon ng unawaan o rapport sa pagitan ng mentor at mentee kaya tinitiyak ng DTI na naipaparating nang tama ng isang mentor ang kailangang kaalaman sa mga tinuturuan.

Ayon kay ASEC Bles, nakatakda na ring simulan ang ‘Mentor Me’ program sa Zamboanga, Iloilo, Cebu, Cavite, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro City, General Santos City, Davao City, Baguio, Tarlac at Lanao de Norte.

 

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Isa sa mga mentee na nakapanayam namin ay si Jay Menes, isang stage performer na naengganyong magnegosyo na kabilang sa mga unang batch ng mga dumaan sa ‘Mentor Me’ program.

Sa kuwento ni Jay, aksidente lang ang pagkakapasok niya sa ‘Mentor Me’ program sa Negosyo Center sa Mandaluyong.

Balak lang kumuha ni Jay ng business permit ngunit naalok ng isang taga-Negosyo Center na sumali sa programa. Sa una, akala ni Jay na isang beses lang ang seminar ngunit tumagal ito ng 12 Biyernes.

Kakaiba ang karanasan si Jay sa ‘Mentor Me’ program dahil nabigyan siya ng daan upang mailabas ang kanilang mga ideya sa negosyo at maranasan ang praktikal na aplikasyon at totoong nangyayari sa merkado.

Para kay Jay, sulit ang 12 Biyernes na kanyang pinagdaanan sa ‘Mentor Me’ program dahil marami siyang natutunan sa iba’t ibang aspeto ng negosyo.

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Natutuwa tayo sa pagbuhos ng suporta ng DTI sa Go Negosyo Act, ang kauna-unahang batas na aking naipasa noong 16th Congress.

Sa ngayon, mayroon nang 270 Negosyo Centers sa buong bansa, ang huli’y binuksan sa Capas, Tarlac kamakailan.

Ang mga Negosyo Center na ito ay handang tumulong upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga papausbong na entrepreneurs at matatagal nang negosyante para sa lalo pa nilang pag-asenso.

Bam welcomes President Duterte’s EO on FOI

Senator Bam Aquino lauds President Duterte’s Executive Order (EO) implementing the Freedom of Information (FOI), saying it is a “welcome development in the fight for transparency and good governance”. 

“We believe wholeheartedly that this Executive Order will aid in the fight against corruption,” said Sen. Bam.

In the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam was among the senators who pushed for the enactment of the FOI into law, passing it on third and final reading. 

However, it did not come to fruition as the House failed to come up with its own version of the measure. 

In the 17th Congress, Sen. Bam has filed a measure entitled the People’s Freedom of Information Act seeking to institutionalize the FOI into law. 

“This is a bold step in the right direction, and hopefully, the legislature can follow the President’s lead and institutionalize this into a law as well,” the senator added.

Bam wants businesses to give spare food to poor

A senator wants food-related businesses to donate their spare food to food-distribution charities or “food banks” to provide food security to our poorest Filipino families while also addressing food waste.

 “Sa taas ng presyo ng bilihin at presyo ng pagkain ngayon, hindi makatarungan na maraming nasasayang na pagkain,” said Sen. Bam Aquino as he filed Senate Bill No. 357 or the Zero Food Waste Act.

 In his measure, Sen. Bam wants to “ultimately end the cycle of having food end up in the trash instead of stomachs”.

 Sen. Bam submitted the measure days after the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released its 2016 first-quarter report, indicating that the number of families that experienced involuntary hunger rose to 3.1 million from 2.6 million in the last quarter of 2015.

 According to SWS, the total hunger rate accelerated to 13.7 percent during 2016’s first quarter from 2015’s fourth quarter of 11.7 percent.

 The measure seeks to create a National Anti-Food Waste Scheme, with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as coordinating agency between food businesses, such as food manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels, and food banks.

 The scheme will set guidelines and standards for the collection, storage, and distribution of edible food donated to food banks. It will also promote linkages between food banks and LGUs to create a community-based food distribution system for the food insecure.

 It will establish a Self-Sufficiency Program that provides the food insecure with skills training on managing food banks and livelihood programs to avoid dependence on donations.

 Food-related businesses will shoulder the costs of transporting edible food waste from business location to the food bank’s warehouse or distribution center and ensure its good condition upon arrival.

 If enacted into law, the penalty of prision correccional will be imposed on any individual, private or public, who deliberately makes food waste unfit for consumption.

 Sen. Bam said the same penalty is applicable to private or public actors who prevent the redirection of edible food waste to food banks or inedible food waste to waste management and recycling enterprises.

 In addition, Sen. Bam said the measure will push private individuals and their local governments to participate in a segregation campaign to have food waste readily available for recycling into fertilizer or compost.

Bam wants lower income tax, VAT exemption for small businesses

To further stimulate the growth of small businesses in the country, Sen. Bam Aquino is pushing for a measure that provides them with lower income tax rate, VAT exemption and other privileges.

Under Sen. Bam’s Senate Bill No. 169 or the Small Business Tax Reform Act, all small businesses shall be exempt from payment of income tax for the first three years of its operation from date of establishment and will be subjected to lower income tax rates thereafter.

 As defined in the bill, small businesses are micro and small enterprises whose annual gross revenue does not exceed P50,000,000.

“This bill also proposes the lowering of the income tax rate for MSEs and an exemption from VAT, among other methods of stimulating growth in MSEs as opposed to hindering it,” said Sen. Bam.

 The measure also pushes for simpler bookkeeping, a special lane and assistance desk for MSEs, exemption from tax audit, annual filing of returns, and payment in installment.

 Sen. Bam stressed the need for a simpler taxation, saying a joint study by PWC and the World Bank, Paying Taxes 2016, placed the Philippines 126th out of 189 economies in Ease of Paying Taxes.

 “This must change, which is why we are asserting the Small Business Tax Reform Act as a measure to simplify tax procedures and unburden our small businesses of the complex tax process,” said Sen. Bam.

 By streamlining the country’s tax system, it will boost the chances of our local enterprises to succeed and, in turn, generate prosperity and livelihood for more and more Filipino families.

Bam seeks to stop ‘Endo’

In a move to strengthen the rights of workers and promote security of tenure, a senator filed a measure that seeks to end the unjust “Endo” (end contract) practice in the country.

 On Thursday, Sen. Bam Aquino filed the End Endo Act, amending Sections 106 to 109 of the Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Labor Code of the Philippines.

 It will put a stop to fixed term employment or hiring of workers based on a limited and fixed period without regularization so more Filipinos are assured of job security and steady compensation.

 Employers are also limited from contracting or subcontracting more than 20 percent of their total workforce.

 The End Endo Act will further professionalize the service contracting industry by prohibiting labor-only contracting and establishing industry standards.

 It will also guarantee contracted workers of reasonable compensation even in between assignments through a Transition Support Program.

 “If approved, tapos na ang nakasanayang 50 o 100 percent ng workforce ay contracted o subcontracted,” said Sen. Bam.

 In addition, the measure requires the mandatory posting of bond that will serve as a safeguard for the employee’s claims in case of violation by the contractor or subcontractor.

Four Laws in Two Years for Bam

Four laws in two years.

These were just some of the accomplishments of Sen. Bam Aquino, the youngest senator in the 16th Congress, during his first two years in office.

Included in the four laws authored, co-authored and principally sponsored by Sen. Bam is the landmark Philippine Competition Act or Republic Act 10667, which was passed under his watch as chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, after it gathered dust in the legislative mill for almost 25 years.

Recently signed into law by President Aquino, the Philippine Competition Act will level playing field for all businesses by penalizing anti-competitive agreements and abuses of dominant players, aside from eliminating cartels that control supply and prices of goods in the market.

Aside from the Philippine Competition Act, the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act was also signed into law by the Chief Executive.

The Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act or Republic Act 10668 will allow foreign ships carrying imported cargoes and cargoes to be exported out of the country to dock in multiple ports.

The law aims to reduce logistics costs for producers, create a more efficient import and export system, and lead to lower prices for consumers.  It will also help in decongesting the major ports in the country.

Last year, the Go Negosyo Act and the Philippine Lemon Law were signed into law by President Aquino.

Sen. Bam’s campaign promises of spurring jobs and enterprise development, levelling the playing field, and ease of dong business were further fulfilled with these macro economic reforms together with the establishment of Negosyo Centers all over the country through the Go Negosyo Act.

“Just as we promised, we have worked tirelessly for the passage of these measures that will create jobs and livelihood for fellow Filipinos and a better business climate for our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” said Sen. Bam.

In addition, the President is also expected to sign the Youth Entrepreneurship Act soon.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Act, co-authored and principally sponsored by Sen. Bam, is touted to be an effective tool to solve the growing number of jobless youths in the country, which currently stands at 1.32 million.

The enactment of this into law will make Sen. Bam’s portfolio of laws to five in two years.

“Hindi mahalaga ang edad, kung bagito ka man o beterano sa posisyon natin. Ang mahalaga, kailangang nagtatrabaho tayo para sa kapakanan ng sambayanan na siyang naglagay sa atin sa trabahong ito,” added Sen. Bam.

Moreover, the Responsive, Empowered, Service-Centric Youth Act, which aims to institutionalize youth participation in disaster risk and reduction planning, was passed on third reading.

He was also able to file a committee report on the Mircofinance NGOs Act, which aims to empower the sector that provides microfinancing services to micro businesses.

Aside from his legislative work, Sen. Bam also initiated an investigation into the country’s expensive and slow Internet connection.

The investigation has produced several victories that will help improve the country’s Internet service. It encouraged telecommunication companies to embrace IP peering with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) while the Department of Justice (DOJ) has released guidelines against deceptive or misleading Internet print, TV and radio advertisements.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), for its part, is also expected to craft a memorandum circular that will set the quality of standards for all telecommunication companies to follow, be it broadband or DSL.

Sen. Bam also looked into the port congestion that hounded the Port of Manila early this year. After several hearings, port operations went back to normal, with utilization rate now between 70 to 80 percent.

Lastly, Sen. Bam worked together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), local governments, the academe, business clubs and other private groups in the establishment of Negosyo Centers that will assist small businesses.

Through the Go Negosyo Act, the Negosyo Centers aim to provide ease of doing business, access to business training & education, development services and financing for the growth of MSMEs.

As of this month, 61 Negosyo Centers have been established and 50 more are expected to be put up by the end of the year.

BIDA KA!: Birthday wish

Bago ang lahat mga Bida, nais ko munang magpasalamat sa Poong Maykapal sa dagdag na isang taon sa aking buhay.

Kahapon, ipinagdiwang ko ang aking ika-37 kaarawan. Gayunpaman, tuluy-tuloy ang pagsisilbi ko sa taumbayan dahil ito ang paraan upang magpasalamat sa inyong suporta sa ating mga adhikain.

Kasabay ng aking kaarawan, nagsumite ako ng tatlong committee report at nagbigay ng sponsorship speech sa tatlong panukalang batas na nakalusot sa aking komite na Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Ang mga tatlong panukalang ito ay ang Poverty Reduction through Social Enterprise (PRESENT), Youth Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy at Philippine Lemon Law on Motor Vehicles bills.

Malaki ang maitutulong ng mga nasabing panukala upang maiparamdam at maipaabot sa karamihan ang nararanasang paglago ng ekonomiya ng bansa.

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Naghain din ako ng panukalang batas – ang Community Disaster Warehouse Bill, Coastal Mangrove Planting Bill, BEI-Election Service Reform Bill, Philippine Big Data Center Bill, Cooperatives Officer Bill, Credit Surety Fund NGO Bill at Start Up Fund Bill.

Tatlong committee reports at pitong bills – 3/7 sa ika-37 kong kaarawan. Para sa ating ikauunlad ito, mga Bida.

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Kahapon, habang ako’y nasa kasagsagan ng pagtatrabaho ay may lumapit sa akin at nagtanong ng “Senador, ano po ang birthday wish ninyo?”

Hindi naman nag-antay nang matagal ang nagtanong sa akin dahil sa una pa lang, alam ko na kung ano ang aking gusto, hindi para sa aking sarili, kundi para sa nakararaming Pilipino.

Ito ay ang trabaho, negosyo at edukasyon para sa lahat.

Maliban sa nais kong magkaroon ng trabaho ang mara­ming Pilipino, gusto kong umangat sila sa pagiging empleyado patu­ngong amo.

Mula sa pagiging tauhan, nais kong sila ang maging may-ari ng kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuan.

Imposible man ito sa unang tingin pero ito’y unti-unti nang nagaganap sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa sa pagdami ng maliliit na negosyo.

Magandang halimbawa rito ay ang Kalasag farmers sa San Jose, Nueva Ecija.

Sa umpisa, sila ay mga ordinaryong magsasaka na umaasa lang sa kanilang parte sa ani.

Noong 2008, nabigyan sila ng training sa paghawak ng pera, pagpapatakbo ng negosyo at mga makabagong paraan ng pagsasaka.

Binuo ng 60 magsasaka mula sa Kaliwanagan at San Agustin (Kalasag) ang Kalasag Farmers Producers Cooperative.

Sa tulong ng lokal na pamahalaan ay nabigyan sila ng pagkakataon na direktang maibenta ang kanilang mga pananim gaya ng sibuyas sa Jollibee.

Isipin ninyo, mga Bida, malaking porsyento ng sibuyas na nahahanap sa mga paboritong burger natin ay galing sa mga Kalasag Farmers.

Doon na nagsimula ang pag-angat ng kanilang buhay. Noong 2008-2009, 60,000 kilo ng sibuyas ang naibenta nila sa isang malaking fast food chain sa bansa.

Sa mga sumunod na taon, umakyat ang kanilang benta sa 236,000 kilo at 245,000 kilo noong 2010-2011.

Kasabay nito, lumago rin ang kita ng bawat magsasaka sa P76,849.13 noong 2008; P98,126.85 noong 2010 at P119,261.12 noong 2011.

Noong bumisita kami roon sa kanila noong isang linggo, kinuwento ng ilang magsasaka na mayroon na silang anak na kasalukuyang nag-aaral ng kolehiyo.  Naipasemento na nila ang kanilang mga bahay at nakakapaghulog na sila para sa isang tricycle.

At siyempre, mga Bida, noong kodakan na ay naglabasan na ang kanilang mga smart phone.

Mula sa pagiging kapatas, ngayon sila na ang big boss ng sakahan.

Kaya walang imposible, mga Bida.

 

First Published on Abante Online

Sen. Bam Lauds Outstanding Youth Groups in TAYO Awards Finals

Senator Bam Aquino lauds the twenty youth organizations that made it to the national finals of the 12th Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards for their untiring efforts to address problems in their respective communities.

The National Capital Region (NCR) will be represented by Phi Lambda Delta Sorority, Children Museum and Library Inc. Junior Council Alumni Association, UP Circuit, Kanlungan Pilipinas Movement Inc., and UP Business Administration Student Council.

From Luzon, Youth for Environment in School Organization, LCNHS-Ransohan Ext, Red Cross Youth and Junior Rescue Team, CITE Youth Volunteer Group, Katipunan ng mga Kabataang Santiagueno, and Indigenous Youth Servant Leaders Association of the Philippines-Isabela made it to the national stage.

Kwaderno, Order of Asclepius, Rapid, Inc., University of San Agustin Little Theater and Youth for a Livable Cebu emerged as winners in the Visayas area finals held in Iloilo City last Nov. 9-10.

Finally, Move this World-Pilipinas Inc, ACCESS PYLP Alumni Association Inc.-ZAMBASULTA Chapter, Hearts and Brains Youth Volunteers, New Breed Special Force, and Rebirth Outdoor Trekkers and Adventurers Philippines Incorporated clinched the five spots for Mindanao after the area finals held in Cagayan de Oro.

“We laud these youth organizations for their untiring efforts and perseverance to find new solutions to solve age-old problems in their respective communities,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth and TAYO Awards co-founder.

“These TAYO national finalists have taken the initiative and went out of their way to help in the best way they can,” the senator added.

The 20 national finalists were determined after a grueling week of deliberation by a select panel of judges, led by NYC Commissioners Dingdong Dantes, Perci Cendaña, Earl Saavedra and Jose Rafael Cruz, and representatives from the TAYO Alumni, media and corporate sponsors.

“While we can only pick five groups each from NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, all the participants are already winners in their own right for effecting change in their respective communities through different programs and projects,” Aquino said.

The judging that will determine this year’s winners is tentatively scheduled on December 8-9, at the Senate Building in Pasay City.

The annual search for Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) is the country’s premier recognition program for youth organizations.

Since its inception in 2002, the TAYO Awards Foundation has successfully gained credibility as an institution that recognizes and supports the outstanding contributions of youth organizations to the country.

The annual TAYO Awards is organized by the TAYO Awards Foundation, Inc., the National Youth Commission, Coca-Cola Foundation and the Office of Senator Bam Aquino.

Transcript of Senator Bam Aquino’s Interview after the Manila Port Congestion Hearing

QUESTION: Ano po ang update sa port congestion hearing?

SEN. AQUINO: Nagrereklamo ang private sector na hindi binubuksan ang port pag weekends, at kung Monday morning. Ngayon nagkakasundo na para ma-decongest talaga ang port natin, kailangan ng extraordinary measures.

The City of Manila is already doing a lot in terms of changing the regulations.

Kailangang papasukin natin ang government agencies ng weekend at Monday mornings para masiguro natin na mas mahaba iyong hours of operation po natin sa port.

 

QUESTION: How about banks, kasi closed iyong banks, isa rin sa itinuturong dahilan?

SEN. AQUINO: Madali namang pakiusapan kahit isa o dalawang branch in that area na magbukas.

Alam ninyo ang isyu na ito, mahalagang mahalaga po ito. Hindi po ito puwedeng palampasin lang. Ang presyo ng bilihin natin, stocks sa merkado, ito po ang nanganganib diyan.

Kailangan ho talaga lahat ng grupo, whether private sector or public sector, nagtutulungan po para maresolba ang isyung ito. Kung hindi magtataas po ang presyo natin at iyon ang ayaw nating mangyari.

 

QUESTION: Ang four weeks, experimental lang ba iyon?

SEN. AQUINO: No. Right now dalawa kasi ang problema. Una kailangan natin ng long-term solution. Dahil kaya po nangyayari ang port congestion, dahil nasa full capacity na siya. Konting aberya lang, nagkakagulo na lahat. So a long-term solution is needed.

Kailangang i-expand natin ang port, palakasin ang Batangas at Subic.

But iyong short-term problem natin, punung-puno na po ang ports natin at kailangan nang madaliin iyong proseso ng pagtanggal ng containers.

So iyong PEZA magbubukas ng area para kunin ang container. Magbubukas po ng Sabado, Linggo at Monday morning para matanggal ang containers doon.

Ang Manila po, nagbukas na po ng mga lanes para mas mabilis ang pagtanggal ng containers.

Sa short-term solution, kailangang magtulungan lahat. Hindi puwedeng Manila lang, national agency lang. Kailangan ang private sector at public sector nagtutulungan para ma-resolve ito at the same time, kailangan ng long-term solution kasi kung hindi, babalik at babalik ang problemang ito.

 

QUESTION: Ano po ba ang tinutukoy ni Mr. Cheung ng “expenses along the way?”

SEN. AQUINO:  Hindi nga nilinaw ni Mr. Cheung kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. Pero palagay ko siyempre iyong paglilinis dito sa ating mga sistema, sana linisin natin ang korupsiyon sa Port Area.

 

QUESTION: May deadline kung kailan matatapos ang clearing para ma-normalize ang operation?

SEN. AQUINO: Kahapon po ang deadline.

Sa totoo, the more that this congestion happens, the more na nanganganib po ang ating stocks, iyong ating mga presyo, iyong kapakanan po ng taumbayan.

They need to move fast and hopefully, we’ll have a hearing again in five weeks, may makita po tayong totoong resulta sa ating hearing na talagang na-decongest po ang ating ports.

 

QUESTION: Nakaapekto ba ang truck ban sa port congestion?

SEN. AQUINO: I guess, sabi ni Vice Mayor Isko, siguro naging sindi sila sa doon problema but to be very frank, hindi na ito truck ban problem dahil they changed the regulation.

Sabi nga niya, lahat ng hiningi ng national government, binigay naman nila. In fact, gumagawa na sila ng express trade lanes, mula sa South Luzon papunta sa Port diretso, and they’ll be operating that next Monday.

Manila has already done its share, kung ano ang kaya niyang gawin para maresolba ang isyu.

Right now, it’s really a matter of cooperation between the truckers, the logistics, the owners of the containers, ating private at iba’t ibang ahensiya. Kailangang magtulungan talaga.

 

QUESTION: Iyong process sa pagpapalabas ng containers, will you look into that?

SEN. AQUINO: Yes, in fact may na-mention rin kanina tungkol sa corruption issue. I think na-mention ng isang resource speaker na mga along the way fees na hindi nado-document, kailangan ding tingnan iyon.

If we’re going to fix this problem, ayusin na natin ng lubus-lubusan. Hindi lang pansamantala, let’s go for long-term solutions.

Linisin natin ang problema, let’s make it more efficient. Huwag nating hayaang tumaas ang presyo ng bilihin dahil dito.

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