Bam Aquino

Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aguirre Aquino IV (Tagalog pronunciation: [bɛˈnignoʔ aˈɡirɛ aˈkino], born May 7, 1977) is a Filipino politician and social entrepreneur who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2013 to 2019. He is a member of the prominent Aquino family in the Philippines.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Aguirre and the surname or paternal family name is Aquino.

The Honorable
Bam Aquino
Aquino in 2018
Senator of the Philippines
In office
June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2019
Senate Deputy Minority Leader
In office
February 27, 2017 – June 30, 2019
Chair of the Philippine Senate Science and Technology Committee
In office
July 25, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byRalph Recto
Succeeded byNancy Binay
Chair of the Philippine Senate Education, Arts and Culture Committee
In office
July 25, 2016 – February 27, 2017
Preceded byPia Cayetano
Succeeded byFrancis Escudero
Chair of the Philippine Senate Trade and Commerce Committee
In office
July 22, 2013 – July 25, 2016
Preceded byManny Villar
Succeeded byJuan Miguel Zubiri (as Chair of the Senate Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship Committee)
Chairman of the National Youth Commission
In office
2003 – February 26, 2006
PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo
Succeeded byRichard Alvin Nalupta
Commissioner of the National Youth Commission
In office
2001–2003
Personal details
Born
Paolo Benigno Aguirre Aquino IV

(1977-05-07) May 7, 1977
Manila, Philippines
Political partyLiberal
SpouseMary Fatima Gomez–Aquino
RelationsSee Aquino family
Children2
ResidenceQuezon City
Alma materAteneo de Manila University (BS)
OccupationPolitician, social entrepreneur

Pre-politics activities

Aquino was also one of the hosts of the morning TV show Breakfast, a youth-oriented talk show at Studio 23. In 2006, Aquino hosted the youth-oriented debate show Y Speak in Studio 23 (now ABS-CBN Sports & Action Ch. 23).

In 2009, Aquino played the role of his uncle Ninoy Aquino, in the documentary film, The Last Journey of Ninoy. The film premiered on August 21, 2009, in commemoration of the 26th anniversary of the assassination of Ninoy. It was directed by Jun Reyes.[1]

Before becoming a senator, Aquino became the President of MicroVentures, Inc., a social enterprise company that manages the Hapinoy Program which provides micro-financing, training and access to new business opportunities for women micro-entrepreneurs.[2][3] For his efforts, Aquino was named as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in the category of Social Enterprise and Community Development. He was also chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World in 2012.[2][3]

He was also a Board Member of Rags2Riches, Venture for Fundraising, and the Coca-Cola Foundation.[2][3]

Political career

2013 senatorial bid

Running under the Team PNoy coalition of his cousin, he won in the 2013 elections and placed 7th with 15,388,992 votes.[4]

16th and 17th Congress

Aquino chaired the Committee on Science and Technology from 2016 to 2019. He was also a member of the following committees:

  • Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon)[5]
  • Committee on Agriculture and Food[5]
  • Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies[5]
  • Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization[5]
  • Committee on Cooperatives[5]
  • Committee on Cultural Communities[5]
  • Committee on Education, Arts and Culture
  • Committee on Energy[5]
  • Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
  • Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports[5]
  • Committee on Health and Demography
  • Committee on Local Government
  • Committee on National Defense and Security
  • Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation
  • Committee on Public Information and Mass Media[5]
  • Committee on Rules
  • Committee on Science and Technology
  • Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development[5]
  • Committee on Ways and Means
  • Senate Electoral Tribunal[2]

He was the former chairman of the Committee on Education Culture and Arts from July 2016 until his removal from the position in February 2017 due to his opposition on a Duterte-backed legislation.[6] He was chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship and Committee on Youth from July 2013 to June 2016.

Laws passed

Senator Aquino passed more than 40 laws during his first five and half years in office.[5][7]

  • Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
  • Republic Act 10929, or Free Internet Access in Public Space
  • Republic Act 10693, or Microfinance NGOs Act
  • Republic Act 10911, or Anti Age-Discrimination Act
  • Republic Act 10821, or Children's Emergency Relief and Protection Act
  • Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)
  • Republic Act 10909, or No Shortchanging Act
  • Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act
  • Republic Act 10642, or the Philippine Lemon Law
  • Republic Act 10667, or the Philippine Competition Act
  • Republic Act 10668, or the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act
  • Republic Act 10679, or the Youth Entrepreneurship Act
  • Under Republic Act No. 10742, or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act
  • Republic Act No. 10693, or the Microfinance NGOs Act
  • Republic Act No. 10744, or the Credit Surety Fund Act of 2014
  • Republic Act No. 10756, or the Election Service Reform Act of 2014
  • Republic Act 10755, or the Act Authorizing The Punong Barangay to Administer the Oath of Office
  • Republic Act No. 10844, or the Department of Information and Communication Technology Act of 2015
  • Republic Act No. 10754, or the Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability
  • Republic Act 10905, or Closed Caption Broadcasting of Television Programs Act
  • Republic Act 11054, or the Bangsamoro Organic Law
  • Republic Act No. 11106, or the Filipino Sign Language Act

2019 re-election bid

Aquino ran for re-election as senator as one of the Otso Diretso candidates. He failed to win his re-election bid, placing 14th overall with 14,144,923 votes, the highest among any Otso Diretso candidate.[8] Aquino was quoted that "There are 14 million people who voted for an Aquino during the time of Duterte. That's something."[9] According to his wife, he might return to his social entrepreneurship initiatives after his term ended on June 30, 2019.[10]

On July 19, 2019, the PNP–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges against Aquino and other members of the opposition for "sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal, and obstruction of justice".[11][12] On February 10, 2020, he was cleared of all charges.[13][14]

Campaign manager of Leni Robredo

Aquino initially planned to run for senator in the 2022 Philippine Senate election. However, on October 7, 2021, he revealed that Vice President Leni Robredo had offered him the role of campaign manager for her presidential campaign in the 2022 Philippine presidential election, which she launched earlier that day. Aquino accepted the offer and did not file his certificate of candidacy for a Senate bid to focus on "this essential and daunting challenge."[15]

Personal life
Further information: Aquino family

Bam Aquino was born on May 7, 1977, in Manila. He is the son of Paul Aquino, a son of Benigno Aquino Sr., and Melanie (née Aguirre) Aquino.

His grandfather, Benigno Sr., served as a congressman from Tarlac's 2nd District (1919–28), a senator from the 3rd District (1928–34) Speaker of the National Assembly of the Japanese-puppet state of the Philippines from 1943 to 1944. Went on trial for Treason after World War II for collaborating with the Japanese, and eventually became the 6th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (1943–44).

Under President Ferdinand Marcos' regime, his uncle Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., a former senator (1967–72), was exiled in the United States from 1980 until 1983 when he returned to the Philippines and was assassinated at Manila International Airport.[16][17]

In 1986, Marcos fled into exile and Ninoy's wife, Corazon Aquino, became the first female President of the Philippines. His uncle Butz and aunt Teresa also served as senators. His cousin, Benigno Aquino III, was elected the 15th President of the Philippines in 2010, which he served until 2016.[18] He is married to Maria Fatima Gomez. They have two daughters.[19]

References
  1. Reyes, Paolo R. (July 24, 2009). "Ninoy Aquino's last journey". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  2. "Official Website of the Senate of the Philippines". Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  3. Keh, By Harvey S. "2013 elections: Why Bam Aquino and Grace Poe are suddenly up". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  4. "9-3 win for Team PNoy in Senate race". Rappler. May 18, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  5. Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV. https://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen_bio/aquino_bam_bio.asp
  6. Avendaño, Christine O. (February 28, 2017). "LP members ousted from Senate majority". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  7. Office of Senator Bam Aquino. 2014. http://www.bamaquino.com
  8. "Halalan 2019 Philippine Election Results". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  9. Elemia, Camille (May 22, 2019). "14 million votes for an Aquino in time of Duterte still a feat, says Bam". Rappler. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  10. "Bam admits defeat, says love for Filipinos won't run out". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
  11. "Robredo, ilang taga-oposisyon kinasuhan ng PNP-CIDG ukol sa 'Bikoy' videos". ABS-CBN News (in Tagalog).
  12. "Sedition raps: Solons, bishop hit 'stupid' PNP". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  13. "DOJ clears Robredo, indicts Trillanes and 10 others for 'conspiracy to commit sedition'". GMA News. February 10, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  14. "DOJ clears Robredo, charges Trillanes in sedition case". Rappler. February 10, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  15. Marquez, Consuelo (October 7, 2021). "Bam Aquino scraps Senate return to become Robredo's campaign manager instead". GMA News Online. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  16. "Exile Begins". Ninoy Aquino: Fight for Freedom. Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation. 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  17. "The Death of a Hero". Ninoy Aquino: Fight for Freedom. Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation. 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  18. Gutierrez, Natashya (May 10, 2013). "Bam Aquino: What can a 6th Aquino bring to the Senate?". Rappler. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  19. "Bam Aquino, wife Timi welcome second child on Valentine's Day". February 15, 2018.
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