A Politics of Hope

P u bl i s h ed A r tic le s of S e na to r B a m Aquino

Senator Bam Aquino A world-renowned social entrepreneur turned senator, Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV dedicated his career to empowering the youth and the poor, helping Filipino families improve their lives through education, employment, and entrepreneurship.

He believes in a politics of hope and trusts that we can overcome poverty and build a prosperous nation by bringing out the best in every Filipino.

These are a few of his articles inspired by a hopeful brand of politics, written from 2015 to early 2016.

Copyright 2015 - 2016 By the Office of Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” A. Aquino IV Rm.510, 5th Floor, Senate of the Philippines Tel. No. (632) 55 2.6601 | Fax: (632)55 2.6601 loc. 8623 Website: www.bamaquino.com Email: team.bamaquino@senado.ph All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher.

P u bl i s h ed A r tic le s of S e na to r B a m Aquino with Janine Ramirez

Table of Contents Page

1. Mission Statement

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1

2. At A Crossroads

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5

3. Beyond Good Intentions

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9

4. What is Newsworthy?

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12

5. Quality Investment

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15

6. Betting on the Youth

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19

7. The K-12 Challenge

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8. A Month of Heroes

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9. The Truth about Traffic

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31

10. Overseas Filipinos look to a future as entrepreneurs

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35

11. The Time and Season to Buy Local

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12. Who occupies the Internet?

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13. Gratitude for What Was and What Could Be

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Mission Statement

Manila Bulletin | 25 March 2015 1

For seven years, before joining the Senate, I was a social entrepreneur, working in microfinance and micro enterprise programs in rural parts of the Philippines. Our institution primarily worked with women sari-sari storeowners, providing them financing support; training and linking them to companies they otherwise would not have access to.

Through the years, we came to a conclusion that many other social enterprises started after ours would also adhere to – if you provided access to opportunities, Filipinos would step up, take these opportunities and do well for themselves and their families.

We witnessed for ourselves how our nanay-partners improved themselves through our program and that of our microfinance partners.

Many of them who didn’t finish high school and had humble beginnings were slowly but surely becoming savvier entrepreneurs who were providing more for their families through their micro businesses.

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The Filipino that we saw was not lacking in talent or drive, but rather, just lacking in opportunities.

There were of course individuals that refused to work hard and learn, but they were always in the minority; the majority recognized and wanted the opportunities and at the end of the day, did well with them.

It was the same case for our work with the youth. The more popular image of the Filipino youth is involved with teenage pregnancies, drug abuse, violence in gangs and too much DOTAplaying.

Yet, in our years serving the sector, we found thousands of outstanding youth organizations serving their communities, a brotherhood assisting the welfare of indigenous peoples, former street children teaching arts education to their peers, transformed tambays training for disaster rescue, and a group of young people teaching financial literacy and entrepreneurship to former combatants and children of war.

It’s the same formula for the Filipino youth. Give them the proper guidance and mentoring, show them that they

can do something worthwhile for themselves and for other people and see them grab these opportunities and make the most out of it.

I’ve been both a witness and an advocate of this fundamental truth that Filipinos can achieve if given the right tools and support. But unfortunately, still to this day, a number of our countrymen do not believe in our own capacity for goodness and greatness.

For every believer in entrepreneurship, there are those that say that Filipinos are Juan Tamads and not built to be our own bosses. For every advocate of the Filipino youth, there are those that believe that the youth are useless, apathetic and only concerned with their Facebook and video games.

With regard to the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the same opposing perspectives apply. There are those who believe that development in the area cannot be achieved under Moro leadership, while there are those that believe that our Moro people can reverse the vicious cycle of poverty and violence through their self-determination.

There are those that speak with certainty that funds given to the Bangsomoro will be used primarily for guns and to line the pockets of corrupt politicians, while there are those who

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see classrooms and hospitals being built, water systems, electricity and social services finally being delivered to the communities.

Somewhere between these two perspectives lies the best course of action – a careful optimism that sees all angles but has that positive outlook at its heart and as its driving force.

Make no mistake though, action, reform and change can only happen if you start from a perspective of hope, rather than one of distrust, discrimination and pessimism.

We don’t talk enough about the politics of hope. In our minute-by-minute, 140-character, news cycle-led world, it seems that the politics of hope has become passé or even considered naïve by the armchair analysts.

Optimism has seemingly lost its luster amidst the talk of vengeance, distrust and disappointment with our leaders.

But the truth is that in my line of work, I have been blessed to come across stories of change and hope, of true political action and reform, of new translations of people power, of unsung and unmentioned heroes who, like me, still believe in what the Filipino can be.

This column will hopefully be that oasis for fellow optimists and hopefuls out there.

Armed with a politics of hope, Senator Bam passed 17 laws during the 16th Congress that seek to empower Filipinos to overcome poverty.

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At A Crossroads

Manila Bulletin | 5 June 2015 5

In the next few weeks, we can expect news reports to revolve around the debates on the amendments to the draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and how it has been affected by the tragedy in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

With the spotlight on the conflict in Mindanao, we are confronted with countless questions and emotions associated with distrust and, ultimately, fear.

Last month, the Senate released its committee report following the investigation on the Mamasapano clash and I am one of the Senators who signed the committee report with reservations.

Though I agree with majority of what was written, I disagree with some of the conclusions made regarding the actions of the peace panel, the peace process and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law itself.

There were conclusions about the “excessive” optimism of the peace panel, and the report went as far as calling the Bangsamoro Basic Law a “casualty” of the Mamasapano clash. These statements went beyond the scope of the hearings.

While the peace panel was represented during the senate investigation, they were not able to present the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law in depth nor were they able to discuss the peace process in detail.

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We wrote the committee asking for clarifications and, if necessary, we will propose amendments once the report reaches the plenary.

These next few months are crucial if we are to achieve justice for our fallen heroes. We must maintain our focus on three things: first, we must capture those that were involved in the summary killing of the SAF 44 and have them stand trial for their crimes.

Second, we must ascertain that the families of the Fallen 44 are cared for and that the donations and benefits awarded to them are properly turned over.

And third, we must work to the best of our abilities to have peace in Mindanao so that tragedies like this, will no longer happen again.

Through the course of the Mamasapano hearings, a number of concerns have been raised regarding the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law. Some of these are with regard to constitutionality and others with regard to resources to be allotted for the proposed Bangsamoro new political entity.

The most pressing concerns, though, are with regard to the MILF itself and their ability to be partners in the peace process.

The crossroads we now face are whether legislators will seek to address these concerns through changes in the Bangsamoro Basic Law or whether these concerns mean the junking of the bill and possibly, the peace process altogether.

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Though it may not seem that way now, before Mamasapano, we were closer than we had ever been to ending the decadeslong conflict in Mindanao. Can we find our way back amidst the anger, fear and grief that befell us?

The answer to this pregnant question is not just a ‘yes’, but a ‘we have to.’

To honor those that have fallen in Mamasapano, and the thousands more throughout the decades of armed conflict, we have to.

It is the job of the Senate to debate, deliberate and refine the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law and produce the best possible version that addresses the concerns in our peoples’ hearts and minds.

We must learn from the Mamasapano incident and let spring forth a stronger regime of peace instead of letting the tragic event be a catalyst for more violence, war and terror.

It is ‘the better angels of our nature’, as Lincoln once said, that will help us decide what path to take.

To protect families from being displaced and torn apart by armed conflict, we have to.

To ensure that Filipinos stop killing each other, we have to.

On July 20, 2016, Senator Bam filed S.B.N. 661, a bill that seeks to create a more inclusive Philippines by institutionalizing Indigenous Peoples (IP) educational systems in our schools.

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Beyond Good Intentions

Manila Bulletin | 2 May 2015 9

Government policies, rules and regulations are meant to develop a more productive society and improve the lives of citizens.

And yet, there seems to be a collective groan when these new policies are rolled out to the public.

Just recently, taxpayers from all over the country voiced out their resistance to the electronic filing system of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

On its face, this shift in policy is commendable and noteworthy. Finally, we were switching to an online and paperless system, which should make filing and paying taxes a lot more convenient.

Gone are the days where taxpayers had to travel to their Revenue District Office (RDO), wait for hours, and waste paper photocopying various documents‌ ideally.

Unfortunately, this was not the case in the days leading up to the April 15 deadline.

There were times when the online system would not be operational, some businesses could not successfully register, and there was a lingering sense of confusion plaguing taxpayers and BIR employees alike.

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While some RDOs made an extra effort to accommodate taxpayers, extending hours and setting up waiting areas, there were still complaints regarding the lack of helpful information for taxpayers.

We have received reports that BIR employees were unable to explain who was covered in the e-filing system and what penalties are applied to those unable to file in time.

Some RDOs even claimed they did not receive the Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) with regards to extending the deadline for electronic filing.

How can a well-intentioned, even innovative policy shift create so much dissatisfaction in our taxpayers?

I am reminded of a quote from the late Sec. Jesse Robredo: “Hindi sapat na tayo ay matino lamang. Hindi rin sapat na tayo ay mahusay lamang.

Hindi lahat ng matino ay mahusay, at lalong hindi naman lahat ng mahusay ay matino. Ang dapat ay matino at mahusay upang karapat-dapat tayong pagkatiwalaan ng pera ng bayan.�

Good intentions and upright principles are vital in government, but so is capability, competency or the ability to implement properly. One without the other is good, but not good enough.

Can you imagine if this new policy was done hand-in-hand with proper implementation?

Our taxpaying public would laud the BIR, and all government for that matter, for an innovation that they themselves have been clamoring for decades.

Simply put, we need to go beyond good intentions.

Now is the time to develop our capacity for efficient and effective planning and implementation, especially when we introduce systemic changes.

Instead, we had a missed opportunity, which left a number of our taxpayers confused and even questioning the systemic change.

While the Philippines needs pure hearts and smart minds, we are also in need of capable hands to bring paper to practice and deliver palpable service to the millions of our countrymen.

This BIR example is just one of many cases where intentions were underappreciated because of implementation issues.

Oftentimes, we even hear talk about our laws being great on paper, but hardly implemented well.

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What is Newsworthy?

Manila Bulletin | 8 July 2015 12

A few months ago, a tito of mine asked me about what we have been working on in the Senate.

I told him about the Negosyo Centers being put up around the country and we discussed the challenges and implications of the Philippine Competition Act – decades in the making and now, finally, ratified and waiting for the President’s signature.

My uncle was surprised to hear of the reforms we were busy working on. He asked, “Why haven’t I heard about any of these on the news?”

I teased that he should be more tech-savvy and make a Facebook account so he could like my page and get updates on his virtual newsfeed.

Indeed, the Internet is a great equalizer that allows us to pick and choose what to see, read, and share. We can find any sort of information online, from conspiracy theories to the cutest cat videos. The only question is: what are you interested in?

But, truth be told, while it has been a struggle getting our policies and advocacies out in mainstream media, an even bigger challenge is getting the public interested in the policy discussion.

Since the corruption scandal erupted last year, our headlines seem to be hijacked by Napoles and the PDAF scandals, Makati

City Parking Building II investigations, the Mamasapano tragedy and the BBL, and, more recently, survey results and the 2016 elections.

Even on the Internet, where we curate our own personal newspaper, people seem disinterested in anything but the scandals, complaints, fights, and government slipups.

While these are issues worthy of attention, we need to fuel our desire to move the discussion further into the much-needed reforms and systemic changes.

Take the news on the potential candidates for the 2016 elections as an example.

No one is asking questions about their vision, goals, and dreams for the country and how they hope to achieve them.

The country is growing leaps and bounds economically while making significant strides in curbing corruption within the government. How will they distribute this wealth throughout the sectors and continue the battle against corruption?

There have been landmark bills passed into law under the current administration, from the K to 12 basic education program and the RH Act to the opening up of our ports to foreign ships and the Philippine Competition Act. How do they ensure these are implemented well?

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Where do they stand in the Mindanao peace process and the Anti-Discrimination Act filed in Congress? How do they hope to unite the country, instill tolerance among our people, and bolster human rights in the Philippines?

We can demand a concrete platform detailing the policies and programs they wish to put in place to create a better future for the country. We can even hold them to their word and police their administration once they are elected into office.

We have yet to ask these questions. But will the answers even be considered newsworthy?

With our voices and with our votes, we can endeavor to shape the future of our country. We can steer our country in the direction of unyielding public service, inclusive progress, and prosperity for all. That would, truly, be newsworthy.

Media outlets, including online and social media, will give the readers what they clamor for. It is our likes, shares, comments, re-tweets, and hash tags that will determine the headlines. Our collective chatter will define what is newsworthy.

The Filipino people have peacefully rallied for their rights against an intimidating dictator and have cried for a change in system, reinstating democracy. We have pushed for justice against the most powerful in our country including sitting Philippine presidents and even a Supreme Court Chief Justice. We have even called for a change in entrenched systems, successfully abolishing the PDAF. Is it then too far to hope for our countrymen to seek for concrete, detailed platforms, and sophisticated policies among our leaders?

We have the power to influence the narrative of the 2016 elections.

We can ask our presidentiables questions about their stance on controversial issues.

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Quality Investment

Manila Bulletin | 29 July 2015 15

In the wake of this month’s high incidence of food poisoning cases, I found myself worrying about potential repercussions to our local businesses in the food sector.

The public’s concern surrounding durian candies in Davao, the macapuno candies in Quezon City, or the mangosteen candies in Surigao del Sur may very well be reflected on the entire local food industry.

Further, it can morph into an overall fear of purchasing from street food vendors, many being struggling microentrepreneurs.

On a grand scale, it may not seem like much. But to a Filipino family who

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depends on a micro-business for dayto-day living expenses, this is a major blow.

On the flip side, the success of our micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) translate to improvement of lives. With sufficient income and financial success, households will earn themselves access to quality education, healthcare, housing, life insurance, retirement funds, and other investment opportunities.

Considering 99.6% of businesses in the Philippines are from the MSME sector and 91.6% of these are microenterprises, to enable the success of MSMEs must mean uplifting lives of millions of our countrymen.

Buying from local businesses, particularly those in the micro to medium scale, will spread wealth to those that need it and work hard for it.

Take the case of Rags 2 Riches (R2R), an eco-social enterprise that uses upcycled scrap cloth and other materials to create fashion and home accessories.

However, we cannot expect the market to lower their standards nor alter their preferences. Instead, businesses must adhere to the demands for quality, adapting to suit their customers’ needs and desires.

At the onset, R2R already established quality control measures. But on their first year of operations, they found that they had high rejection rates.

Plus, motivating their artisans to work harder to meet their standards was met with resentment.

Concerns about food safety and product quality are definitely warranted and, now, Filipino entrepreneurs are challenged to step up their game and meticulously guard their production lines to regain public trust.

But maintaining a selective eye for quality is not an easy task. There will be numerous occasions when sustaining a high level of quality will be a big hassle, whether it’s dealing with suppliers and employees or dedicating more time and effort to the job.

What entrepreneurs and business owners must remember, though, is that this dedication to quality pays off.

Constant rejections of materials became a deep frustration for the artisans. In the confines of a work area, artisans complained about the hassles of stringent quality control.

But as much as there was love and respect for the members, lowering the standard of quality was not an option for the management.

Instead, R2R brought their artisans to a shopping mall with top quality, luxury brands and were sold on the vision to place R2R bags alongside these expensive bags, catering to the same well-to-do customers.

With this realization, there was renewed dedication to produce high quality products.

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Today, top Filipino designers and R2R ambassadors all over the world give their stamp of approval to R2R bags.

The social enterprise is a success, in large part because of their loyal customer base that rave about their products.

The dedication to quality paid off for R2R and their example shows that it can be done.

Filipino entrepreneurs and a Filipino workforce can produce world-class quality goods for as long as standards are set high and everyone is driven to achieve product excellence.

For our local food industry, there is a challenge to up their standards for quality. The Davao government is doing their part by imposing stricter regulations and mandating food vendors to attend training sessions on food safety.

One can hope that our entrepreneurs take this opportunity to improve their products and their operations to better serve their customers and build the success of their business.

Whether entrepreneur or consumer, let’s set the mark high for anything and everything Pinoy-made because we have to and, more importantly, because we can.

In the 17th Congress, Senator Bam filed S.B.N. 1241 to amend the 24-year-old Consumer Act in order to strengthen consumer rights and encourage businesses to improve products and services in today’s age of innovation.

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Betting on the Youth

Manila Bulletin | 12 August 2015 19

If we were ever burdened with the task of entrusting the fate of our country to one sector of society, my choice would be the youth sector.

As we celebrate International Youth Day this week, we recall our investment in our promising young Filipinos.

Much can be said about today’s youth.

Some see them as self-absorbed and obsessed with social media. Others find them unpredictable, difficult to manage, and politically dispassionate.

A recent survey of college freshmen across nine schools in Metro Manila revealed 85% of respondents have never joined a street demonstration for an advocacy and over 77% have not worked for a political campaign, whether on a national or local level.

But truth be told, young Filipinos have yet to disappoint me. In my experience, it is the youth that are most passionate about improving lives and changing the country.

In our trips across the country, we make it a point to sit down with and engage with youth leaders in the area. We are happy to report that there are several young Filipinos that are intelligent, innovative, businessand tech-savvy, and, most importantly, hell-bent on making a difference.

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Every year, the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) Awards Foundation rewards the best youth-led projects that champion causes such as education, health, livelihood, and the environment.

Each year, the TAYO Awards presents us with various inspiring stories of young Filipinos that have come together to work on building the nation and developing marginalized communities.

One of the ten winners was the Kanlungan Pilipinas Movement who built e-learning centers called, “Balay Kanlungan ng Karunungan,� that serve as learning hubs with free information and educational materials in far-flung communities.

The Katipunan ng mga Kabataang Santiagueno, also one of the winners, addressed the garbage problem in Santiago City, Isabela by producing charcoal briquettes from leaves, twigs, stems and other cellulosic forest waste. This product was sold to the community and served as a cheaper and more environment-friendly source of fuel.

In their quest to address the shortage of breast milk for infants in the UP-Philippine General Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PGH-NICU), the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority pioneered the project Milk Matters that gathers mothers through community health centers to teach them about breastfeeding while conducting a ‘milk-letting drive’.

While in Cebu, the Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Inc. (GVSP) began the Break the Silence Network Project raising awareness on the abuse of deaf women and children, even establishing a Police Deaf Desk in partnership with the Philippine

National Police Region VII to train police officers basic Filipino sign language.

Now on its thirteenth year, the TAYO Awards is once again searching and sifting through thousands of entries – each entry being concrete evidence of youth involvement in nation building.

These are just some examples of the many young people that have been able to make a difference in their communities.

Can you imagine how much more they could accomplish, how much bigger their impact would be, if they had a more robust support system?

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Before the end of the month, we expect the Youth Entrepreneurship Act to be signed into law, a measure that will expose our Filipino youth to entrepreneurship through programs developed for primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools to give them a good foundation for business creation and enterprise development in the future.

This policy also seeks to aid promising young entrepreneurs in their product development, access to capital, training, and other services to help them build their own successful enterprises so they create livelihood and work for themselves and their community instead of relying on the job market.

This policy is one of the ways we can place our bet on the youth sector because we believe that, given the opportunity, guidance, and support, young Filipinos can grow successful businesses that lift them and their communities out of poverty.

In our experience, young people are willing to heed the call of the times and are ready to take on the challenge of building a better Philippines.

We have the opportunity to add fuel to the flames and give them our full support so we can witness our young countrymen bring our nation to new heights.

R.A. 10679: The Youth Entrepreneurship Act was signed into law on August 27, 2015.

This policy will ensure that every Filipino student is educated on financial literacy and entrepreneurship.s 22

The K-12 Challenge

Rappler | 16 June 2015 23

As we welcome a new school year, we are reminded of our need to constantly improve the quality of education for Filipinos across the country.

Aligned with this goal is the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or Republic Act No. 10533, which was signed into law on May 15, 2013 and resulted in the implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program.

The last country in Asia with a 10-year pre-university cycle, the Philippines is one of only three, along with Angola and Djibouti, stuck in a 10-year basic education system.

Far from being a quick fix to our laggard status, the K to 12 program was carefully studied and designed by both private and public education stakeholders based on research from other countries and our own local successes and failures in education.

Many would agree that actualizing the K-12 system in the Philippines would result in more young Filipinos equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to enter the workforce.

And even though there are those that disagree and question whether or not we should transition to a K to 12 education system, this article is not about that.

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The challenge we face now, in my view, is not whether we should or shouldn’t, but whether we can or can’t.

Are we ready to bring the K to 12 vision of progressive and transformative education to reality? Are we ready with classrooms and infrastructure to accept two more grade levels? Are we ready with the curriculum to move our education system to the world-class standard we have long been aspiring for?

To be fair to the Department of Education (DepEd), they have made progress in terms of infrastructure and curriculum development.

The backlog of 66,800 classrooms in 2010 was addressed with DepEd building over 84,000 classrooms from 2010 to 2014 with plans to build over 40,000 more this year.

The shortage of 145,827 teachers in 2010 was addressed with DepEd hiring over 128,000 teachers from 2010 to 2014 with over 39,000 more to be hired this year.

But what about the 25,000 or so teaching and non-teaching staff that will be displaced once the K-12 program is completely implemented? DepEd reports that there will be at least 30,000 teaching positions in public senior high schools open for hiring, not to mention the need for principals and other nonteaching staff.

A 12 billion peso Tertiary Education Transition fund is also in the pipeline to offer grants, scholarships, and financial assistance to displaced employees so they may be qualified to continue working in the field of education.

With more classrooms and more teachers, congestion in our public schools has gone down and this is evidenced by the big reduction in

schools that employ a two, three, even four-shift system. When in 2011, 21.24% of our elementary schools resorted to shifting, only 3% utilized a shifting system in 2014.

Looking at these figures, we can clearly say that tremendous improvements have been made. But, to be frank, not a lot of our citizens know that DepEd has hit these numbers in the last 5 years. In fact, when I go around schools, students still ask me why the government keeps cutting the budget for education.

In truth, we’ve actually increased the budget by over 200% from 2010 to 2015, from P174.75 billion to P364.66 billion.

These gains we have had in the past years put into perspective the ability of DepEd and our education stakeholders to make necessary preparations and improvements in the condition of education across the Philippines. These small victories should give us reason to believe in our ability to overcome challenges in improving the quality of Philippine education, or at least dispel any doubts about our capability to perform.

But the truth of the matter is, even with these numbers facing us, there is so little trust in the government’s ability to implement major reforms.

And from the feedback of some of our

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countrymen, a number of Filipinos don’t believe we can get this done by 2017.

Definitely, there are legitimate concerns that demand solutions.

Definitely, a lot of work still needs to be done. Definitely, there will be unforeseen challenges along the way.

It will definitely not be easy.

But the good news is, we still have time.

There is an entire year before the full nationwide implementation of the K-12 Program and the performance of DepEd thus far gives us enough reason to trust that we can get this done together.

Now is the time for our communities to get involved. Now is the time for the private sector to offer their expertise and resources. Now is the time for all of us to get behind a program that will empower our youth with knowledge and skills that can propel them and their families to live better, more

comfortable, and more meaningful lives.

Now is not the time to hit the brakes on a national reform we desperately need and have been working towards for the past years. Now is not the time to prematurely declare that we cannot make it happen. We have a year to implement this major education program and DepEd has asked for our help (For concerns and suggestions, email action@deped.gov.ph or call 6361663/633-1942).

For those who believe that we need to improve our educational system in the Philippines, this is our chance. We must not miss another opportunity to raise the level of our education to one that is world class. Let us support DepEd in creating a better, more robust, more effective, and more progressive education system for our young Filipinos through the K to 12 Basic Education Program.

As the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture in the 17th Congress, Senator Bam filed S.R.N. 20, to properly monitor the status of the K to 12 implementation.

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A Month of Heroes

Manila Bulletin | 26 August 2015 27

For those in search of inspiration this month, look no further than persons very close to my heart.

We remember three public servants, connected by family and history, who have passed away this August – Tito Ninoy, Tita Cory, and Tito Butz Aquino.

All three are figures integral in our country’s journey towards achieving true freedom and earning our democracy.

Thirty-two years ago, on August 21, Ninoy Aquino was assassinated at the previously named Manila International Airport.

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I was six years old then and the only one in my immediate family who wasn’t at the airport. But I recall our cook telling me to pray at the makeshift altar in our home vaguely explaining, “May nangyari daw.”

I still remember the look on my parents’ faces when they finally got home, the day my uncle was killed.

Little did we know that those resounding gunshots would echo beyond our walls and throughout the country, carrying with them a call for justice, freedom, and democracy. The restoration of democracy had begun.

Tita Cory, who passed away on August 1, six years ago, became the symbol of the struggle that followed. With millions of our countrymen behind her, she brought light back into our government and began the long, arduous quest to purge political systems of the deeply embedded culture of corruption and patronage.

Last but not the least, we have Butz Aquino.

Best known as one of the leaders that emerged after Tito Ninoy was assassinated and one of the key figures in the 1986 People Power Revolution, Tito Butz passed away last August 17 due to complications from diabetes.

Before 1983, he was a businessman and an actor, known to be the happy-go-lucky, debonair and charming younger brother of Ninoy.

But after that fateful day of his brother’s assassination, Tito Butz’ courage and passion emerged as he led protests and marches that galvanized the hearts and voices of millions held hostage by the dictatorship.

In one of the events this previous week, I characterized the difference between the two brothers as the inspiration and the inspired.

Tito Ninoy was the icon and inspiration whose death lit a fire in our people; Tito

Butz was one of the inspired, like many Filipinos, who found a better version of himself emerge during those challenging times.

Tito Ninoy was in our hearts and minds even in the years before EDSA; Tito Butz was with us in the streets, arms locked, facing water cannons, guns, and tanks.

Then, when Tito Butz was elected Senator in 1987 and 1992, he continued the fight for the rights of marginalized Filipinos, albeit not as dramatically but still effectively and sustainably through policy.

His main laws included the Magna Carta for Small Farmers, the Seed Act, and the Cooperative Code of the Philippines.

On the day his ashes were brought to the Philippine Senate, we dedicated our sponsored bill, the Credit Surety Fund Cooperative Act, to him, the Father of the Cooperative Movement in the Philippines.

Until their final days, all three of these heroes remained active and involved in nation building, always holding on to the hope that one day, all Filipinos will know freedom, justice, and prosperity.

All three of them believed in the power of the people, more than the individual, to pursue, sustain and foster the lasting change that our country requires.

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They believed that the fate of our country lies not on one, but millions of Filipinos who strive to build a better Philippines through public service, entrepreneurship, policy development, education, health care, and many other noble means.

Tito Ninoy’s words come to mind as we remember them on this month of heroes.

“We should not depend on one man; we should depend on all of us. All of us are expandable in the cause for freedom and therefore I say stand up now and be a leader, and when all of us are leaders, we will expedite the cause of freedom.”

We now have the opportunity to stand tall and step up as leaders alongside our fallen heroes. May we continue to work towards a brighter future for the Philippines and all Filipinos.

Senator Bam dedicates RA 10744, the Credit Surety Fund Cooperative Act, to the late Senator Butz Aquino - a champion of the cooperative movement. Having lapsed into law on February 6, 2016, the law will give small and medium entrepreneurs better access to credit facilities and loans from established banking institutions.

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T h e Tr u t h a b o u t Tr a f f i c

Manila Bulletin | 23 September 2015 31

The truth about traffic congestion in Metro Manila is that each of us, whether motorist, passenger, pedestrian, or traffic enforcer, are either contributing to the problem or taking part in the solution.

There are factors beyond our control like the 2.5 million vehicles registered in Metro Manila and our daytime road population reaching 14 million.

We must also expect the number of vehicles to increase in the next years together with the number of infrastructure projects in Metro Manila that are necessary to keep up with the country’s growth and development.

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But when it comes to certain choke points and problem areas along our main thoroughfares, we can agree that heavy traffic can be avoided with discipline, obedience, and road courtesy.

It need not be as bad as it is – and we’re seeing evidence to support this. Since the intervention of the government’s task force on traffic, there are good indications that we can improve the traffic situation.

In the hopes of mimicking the success of Manila’s port decongestion last year, we filed a Senate Resolution seeking to formulate strategies and solutions to address the worsening traffic conditions and called for public hearings, which serve as a venue for stakeholders to work together and implement solutions.

We are hoping that the hearings at the Senate can help smoothen the alliance among the various agencies and apply the necessary political pressure while involving the public in finding solutions to this issue.

The unified objective is to fortify effective traffic decongestion strategies by the time we host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and experience the rush of the Christmas season.

Though it may be premature to proclaim success, the results from the first weeks are encouraging.

The task force on traffic has already implemented initiatives and interventions to ease our traffic situation.

We witnessed the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) take the reins to strictly enforce existing traffic rules equally among motorists and public transport vehicles, even penalizing fellow policemen caught breaking the law.

The HPG will now supervise personnel from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as they pass on operational control.

When it comes to the buses along EDSA, government agencies are keeping a watchful eye on their traffic flow to make changes on locations of loading bays, if necessary.

Illegal vendors and illegally parked vehicles have also been removed with the help of the local government units so they do not impede the flow of traffic.

Seeing various agencies of government working together fluidly to pursue a common objective is heartening and we are interested

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to see the implementation of other planned interventions, such as the truck ban, staggered work hours, special Christmas lanes, and APEC VIP lanes.

The next issue to solve is the very real problem of conveniently moving people en masse and not just improving the movement of private cars.

To improve our road efficiency, we must attract more Filipinos to take mass transport like buses and trains.

Carpooling is another intervention that can contribute to the decongestion of our roads and this can be incentivized with the creation of special lanes for high-occupancy vehicles.

As we work through the “-ber” months, we can expect the task force to implement these interventions across the metro and maintain strict enforcement of traffic rules.

But it will take the collective effort of the government, private sector, and general public to generate lasting, sustainable solutions.

The truth about Metro Manila’s traffic problem is that we need the participation of motorists, commuters, and public transport groups, along with our enforcement agencies to form

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a considerate, law-abiding culture that will benefit everyone in the long run.

Can we rebuild the trust between traffic enforcers, motorists, and the commuting public? Can each of us do our part by becoming responsible, courteous Filipinos, particularly during our daily commute?

Instead of being part of the problem, can we, instead, be part of the solution to Metro Manila’s traffic woes?

Overseas Filipinos look to a future as entrepreneurs

Manila Bulletin | 2 December 2015 35

There are over 170,000 Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong and all of them will have no choice but to, eventually, return to our shores for good.

What awaits them after years of working abroad and being separated from loved ones? What can they look forward to after leaving home to provide a better life for their children?

I had the pleasure of meeting a number of them during a recent “Negosyo Talk Series� organized by CARD SME Bank, the largest microfinance institution in the Philippines.

The event was a training program to embolden Overseas Filipinos (OFs) living in Hong Kong to take their future by the reins and seize business opportunities back home.

Apart from learning about financial literacy, how to start a business, and the challenges they are likely to face as entrepreneurs, the OFs also learned of the support systems in place for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to increase their chance of success and lifting themselves out of poverty.

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I was honored to share with them the passing of the Go Negosyo Act, the success of over 100 Negosyo Centers now scattered around the Philippines, and the ways in which these hubs can assist them in starting and growing a successful enterprise.

They were motivated by the story of Melvin and Myrna Rojo, two retired OFs that had to return home from Brunei at the retirement age of 55. Though these two teachers were uncertain how they would be sustaining themselves back in their hometown of Iloilo, they now have a promising startup cake business called Myrnz Creation thanks to the support of the Iloilo City Negosyo Center.

Many of our 10 million OFs are unsure of the life they will be returning to in the Philippines. But, like Melvin and Myrna, they can find hope in entrepreneurship.

In speaking with our domestic helpers in Hong Kong, we found that though some were unable to put away money for savings, there were also a number that have already invested in land and foresee a flourishing business in selling crops or establishing fish farms.

One of the domestic helpers has enlisted her family to grow the Roselle or Rosella plant in the land she has purchased. The Rosella plant is not native to the Philippines but thrives in our tropical environment and can be used to produce jam, syrup, and tea, among others.

helper services for events and parties. (www.lingapgaling.com.)

Meeting the domestic helpers in Hong Kong strengthened our resolve in our mission to bolster support for MSMEs in the country and create an environment conducive to entrepreneurship.

Like many of our poor countrymen still living within our borders, the MSME sector is key to generating wealth and opportunities for our retiring OFs. As they look forward to the day they return to their families for good, we are called to make certain they are greeted by a nation that allows them to stand on their own two feet and their own sustained income.

There are also domestic helpers that wish to give back to marginalized Filipino communities by starting a business with a social purpose. Lingap Galing aims to provide additional revenue to low-income households by training women in poor communities to be professional cleaning consultants then linking them to a regular market in Metro Manila.

Government policies with regard to OFs must be end to end – from certifying appropriate training and making sure they are safe and secure as they leave the country to providing the right support so they are not at risk while abroad and giving low cost options to remit back home to their loved ones. Policies must be forward thinking and should plan for their reintegration as contracts end and OFs return home.

Founded by returning migrant workers from Hong Kong, Lingap Galing goes beyond just cleaning homes and condominiums and has expanded to offer ironing, laundry, gardening, and even

One can hope that the laws we have passed and the policies we continue to work on assist in the successful reintegration of our beloved balikbayans as they look to build their own businesses in the Philippines.

On July 20, 2016, Senator Bam filed SBN 648 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Assistance Act, which seeks to provide holistic protection to OFWs and equip them with the information, skills and opportunities to achieve long-term prosperity for their families.

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The Time and Season to Buy Local

Manila Bulletin | 16 December 2015 38

‘Tis the season to be jolly, with sparkling lights, endless feasts, merry reunions, and packed bazaars.

It’s the season for giving and receiving gifts of all kinds from bottled tuyo, queso de bola spreads, brownies, cookies, and other homemade delicacies.

Local entrepreneurs are testing out their products and trying their hand at business, fine-tuning their designs and recipes, and checking to see if they have a good enough shot at success in the market.

It’s the perfect season to sample local products from food to crafts and clothing designed and made by Filipinos.

In our own office, we came up with an ‘Inclusive Gift Chain’, which is essentially a ‘Secret Santa’ but with gifts bought from local entrepreneurs and made with locally-sourced materials.

As we shuffled our way through Christmas bazaars, swiped through our social media accounts, and made quick searches online to find the perfect present, we were presented with an abundant selection thanks to our growing pool of Filipino entrepreneurs.

We are now seeing a wide range of locally produced choices available to us and I can vouch for the vast improvement in terms of quality, with Filipino brands attempting to compete with foreign ones within the Philippines and in the regional market.

Indeed, it is the era to support local!

We have charming indigenous products with brands like Beyond Borders that empower the Abel weavers from Ilocos by bringing blankets, throws, and napkins to the mainstream market. (www.beyondbordersphilippines.com)

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Keeping both the environment and the local communities in mind, Sustainably Made sells wood products made from scrap wood to avoid wastage in the MARSSE Tropical Timber Plantation, a sustainable hardwood plantation in Pangasinan. Their products are good for the environment and the community as it provides additional livelihood to farmers and crafters. (sustainablymade.checkout.ph) From a traditional commissary that produces cakes and breads, husband and wife Marc and Tricia thought to innovate. They came up with Cookie Sticks – crunchy, delicious, and distinct treats already available in malls. These might very well be the first cookie stick brand in the world! (originalcookiesticks.com) There are also stylish and locally handmade bags and wallets from social enterprise Rags2Riches, Inc., which I co-founded. Each fashionable piece is made from upcycled scrap fabric and by trained artisans who now have a better source of livelihood thanks to our regular R2R clients. Why not avoid the Christmas rush outside and shop for gifts online? (shop.rags2riches.ph) These are but a taste of the variety of Filipino items in the market.

With our local entrepreneurs improving their products and striving for premium quality, there is no reason Filipino consumers should not support them with our purchases, feedback, and word-of-mouth.

Supporting our local entrepreneurs is our contribution, as consumers, to our country’s inclusive growth.

But our patronage has more than just economic and social value, it is also a show of nationalism, Filipino pride, and a desire to participate in nation building.

It is through the development of our small businesses that we can generate employment, grow micro-industries within marginalized communities, and spread the wealth to less fortunate Filipinos.

Remarkably, it is our patronage that keeps these businesses alive.

Let us use our purchasing power to support these companies and entrepreneurs that are helping our poor countrymen better their lives. We can take part in that nation’s inclusive growth by being patrons of local products during the holidays, in 2016, and in the years to come.

R.A. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act was signed into law on July 15, 2014. By end 2016, a total of 400 Negosyo Centers have been established to support local businesses.

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Who occupies the Internet?

Rappler | 14 January 2016 41

My name is Bambi and I am a young street dancer awakened by the twerking movement of the 70s… That is, according to Wikipedia before we changed the text back to my true, albeit less vivacious, biography.

flooding a comments section.

Apparently, I have what is now known as an Internet troll changing my Wikipedia page regularly.

The biggest phenomena of the Internet age, social media and search engines, incorporate paid advertising to the user experience and now, money can buy eyeballs as well as people to produce bots and troll accounts to post, like, share, and comment incessantly. Click on a regular troll on any popular Facebook page and you may find him or her lacking a true identity.

My troll made me a Ninja Turtle a few times in the past and, though that is extremely flattering, I unfortunately don’t have the martial arts skills to back it up.

In the curious case of Bam’s Wikipedia page, the untruth is so outrageous that it’s clearly unbelievable.

But in other cases, it is not so easy to distinguish fact from fiction or, dare I say, propaganda.

These days, there are people whose job is to sway public opinion on social media, whether it’s a strategic communications campaign or a swarm of troll accounts

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While creativity and innovation in marketing and communications is more than welcome, untruth and ill intentions are not easily detected.

This is a difficult pill to swallow when a large part of me prefers to engage people who genuinely agree or disagree, and are not being paid to do so.

There is a lot of manipulation happening online.

A far cry from the free marketplace of ideas that we envisioned the Internet to be, it has

transformed into a lawless arena where gladiators compete for our likes, shares, eyeballs, clicks, and money by whatever means possible.

When we first discovered the World Wide Web, people celebrated the idea that anyone and everyone could use it as a venue to speak out, to share information, to formulate opinions and generate insightful discussions.

We found a space without propaganda or advertising, free from the control and influence of powerful politicians and wealthy businesses.

Today, what we have is a battleground of messages ceaselessly pushing us to buy a product, watch a video, share a meme, or vote for a particular candidate.

The boon and the bane of the Internet is the freedom it provides.

Anyone can share information and go viral like the Al-Dub phenomenon and our DOTA2 related post about Team Rave that was shared 3,445 times!

This freedom also allows anyone to mask lies as truth and post it a hundred times from a hundred different accounts until it worms into your psyche.

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So how do we take back the Internet?

Should we look at regulation to control trolling or do we leave it up to the websites to ban abusive language and verify identities?

Do we just tune out when confronted with abrasive comments, potentially ignoring opposing ideas that are worth our consideration?

Do we doubt everything we see online and limit our network to a curated circle, wasting the potential of an open, diverse, unpredictable debate?

Will we end up restricting our use of the Internet to that of self-expression?

How do we take the Internet back from the paid trolls and propagandists, especially during the campaign season where candidates have the machinery to invade both traditional and social media?

In our case, we take back our Wikipedia page by checking it everyday and updating it as often as possible. Perhaps, as users, more diligence is required when absorbing information.

Maybe there is a need to evolve our thinking – to be more analytical, to sift through the barrage of messages on the World Wide Web before we come to our own conclusions.

Bambi’s fearless forecast? The more trolls and propagandists attempt to take the Internet away from us, the more we will put up our own filters, exclude them from our circles, take their comments with a pinch of salt and heaps of humor, and find ways to generate free and open spaces for genuine dialogue and exchange of ideas.

On September 28, 2016, Senator Bam filed S.R.N. 173 to conduct an inquiry on social media education programs in schools and push social media literacy and etiquette.

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Gratitude for What Was and What Could Be

Manila Bulletin | 30 December 2015 45

We celebrate the passing of yet another year: 365 days, 133 Negosyo Centers established, 20 ‘Politics of Hope’ articles published, and an additional six laws under our belt.

Immersed in our to-do lists, meetings, trips and side trips, I barely had the time to look up and take in the lit parols and ornate belens until we had our year-end office party.

To be honest, it took me some time to feel the Christmas spirit this year, even amidst the lights and décor. The holiday cheer was muffled by the buzz, the commotion, the work, and to be frank, the negativity that comes with the holiday traffic and congestion acutely felt by our countrymen in metro areas.

After exchanging gifts and feeding our competitive spirit with a lively quiz night, which my team almost won, I felt a rush of appreciation.

Professionally, my 2015 was all about getting things done – facilitating Senate hearings, drafting bills, passing laws, launching Negosyo Centers all over the country, and, now, campaigning for Cong. Leni Robredo.

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This season is the occasion to stop, look back, evaluate, and be thankful for all the accomplishments and lessons learned before moving on to the next year. This is indeed the time to foster an attitude of gratitude.

A seat in the Senate, even with our tempestuous political arena, gives us the opportunity to create change in our country; changes that will hopefully make lives better and paint a brighter future for less fortunate Filipinos.

This was more than enough to get me going every morning the past years and make the most of this unique opportunity that our people have given.

But even with this fervor and a lot of hard work to back it up, making real, instant, palpable change is still a struggle and cannot be accomplished with a snap of a finger.

The change that we Filipinos wish to see, the dramatic change that we are so desperate to experience, takes time, courage, and fortitude.

This year, the Philippine Competition Act is considered the landmark legislation for the 16th Congress and is one of the six laws our office passed. Lingering in our Congress for decades, it took dedicated and hardworking stakeholders and hours of heated discussion during the period of amendments and bicameral

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conference, to get this law passed and finally signed into law.

The Philippine Competition Act should make it easier for smaller enterprises to grow and compete with the giants and deeply entrenched businesses while, at the same time, produce better quality goods at lower prices for Filipino consumers.

It may very well lead to increase in competition for telecommunications industry – solution to our slow, expensive, frustrating Internet.

the our the and

But frankly, it will take a few years before we experience the benefits of these policies and, by then, all the time and effort put into the legislation will be long forgotten, if at all recognized.

Still, those of us who were a part of this milestone are proud and grateful to have nudged the country in the right direction. What better time than New Year’s to give thanks for these victories?

What better time to express gratitude for what was and what could be?

Next year will unleash an exciting and contentious political landscape, one that will force Filipinos to look at where we are and where we need to go as a people.

Definitely, there will be more challenges ahead, more roadblocks that we will need to break through, more reforms that need to be pushed, and more problems that need to be solved.

But for now, at least, in this Christmas season, we foster that attitude of gratitude.

After serving as Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign manager, Senator Bam filed over 100 bills in the 17th Congress aimed at improving access to quality education, accelerating internet connectivity, generating sustainable livelihood and fostering inclusive economic growth.

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PROJECT TEAM – A Politics of Hope Janine Ramirez Kara Lim Paulo Borres Drea Estrellado

TEAM BAM – 16th Congress Leadership Management Ares C. Goyena Georgina P. Nava Policy & Legislation Atty. Maria Cecilia B. Palines Paola Margarita Q. Deles Norman E. Cualteros Tiffany Zyra D. De Guzman Carole Kaye C. Malenab Army T. Padilla Operations Vina Vivien G. Vargas Salamanca Eira P. Ferrer Benjamin I. Navea, Jr. John Carlo C. Tuaño Lorraine C. Castañeda Ma. Mercedes M. Fajardo Christian Thea Marie V. Murcia John Razil G. Paramio Anna C. Venturina Howell A. Abion Benjie S. Oliva Service Design Karl Vendell M. Satinitigan Gonan Luke A. Buniel Aram Benson A. C. Fernandez Marco Camilo C. Javelosa Simon Javier A. Valencia Mona Celine Marie V. Yap

Principal Management Maria Luisa L. Castañeda Keith S. Geamoga Lucio H. Matienzo Dominador M. Taganahan Strategic Communications Ronnill Carlo S. Enriquez Thermina Ann L. Akram Maritoni M. Alvarez Karl Niccolo G. Atos Fitzgerald A. Cecilio Leah Katrina D. Del Rosario Ariel S. Peñaredondo Janine Marie C. Ramirez Aida Dina S. Javier Nina Rica Marie L. Terol Administration and Finance Katherine A. Purugganan Lea C. Dela Cruz Rochel M. Ferrancullo Jeremy P. Javier Mary Ann B. Marino Mary Grace O. Palpallatoc Darwin A. Saclao Marinel A. Valdez Michelle G. Valeriano Geovani B. Balgos Elpidio A. Cuevas, Jr. Richard B. Ty Domingo M. Dayro Arnel E. Badong

Janine Ramirez Writer Janine Ramirez is an enthusiastic and multifaceted communicator with experience in writing, marketing, and hosting. She currently writes for Senator Bam Aquino, working to craft speeches and articles.

She considers herself a realistic idealist who believes in Sen. Bam’s hopeful brand of politics that seeks to inspire and empower.