Dismayed by budget cuts in vital programs and services, former Senator Bam Aquino vows to ensure adequate funding for education, health, and social services in future national budgets if victorious in the 2025 senatorial race.
“Hindi ko matanggap na bumaba yung budget ng mga ito. If given a chance, uunahin talaga natin iyong budget. Itong nakaraang budget, ang hirap talagang tanggapin na mayroong cuts sa edukasyon, sa kalusugan, at sa DSWD, pati na sa computerization program ng DepEd,” the former Senator said during an interview on ABS-CBN’s Harapan 2025.
“We have to make sure next year’s budget, balik iyong mga pondong iyan at mas papalakihin pa iyong pondo na kailangan talaga ng tao,” he added.
The former lawmaker was particularly disappointed over the P3-billion budget cut to the free college law, which he championed during his time as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Education. If elected to the Senate, Aquino committed to expanding the Free College Law and ensuring that college graduates have a job waiting for them after graduation.
“Titiyakin nating lumalawak ang programa, mas maraming kabataan ang nakikinabang dito at nagkakaroon ng quality education upang makakuha sila ng siguradong trabaho na puwede nilang ipagmalaki. Iyong maganda ang sahod na makakatulong sa kanila at sa kanilang pamilya,” Aquino said.
Meanwhile, Aquino said eradicating corruption and cartels is crucial in bringing down the prices of goods. “Kung pinag-uusapan ng kataasan ng presyo ng bilihin, ang unang dapat gawin ay tugisin iyong corruption sa importation at sa ports at tuldukan ang mga kartel na nagkokontrol ng presyo ng pagkain natin,” he said. Aquino said prices of goods will easily go down by 10 to 20 percent if corruption in the country’s ports is eradicated.
