Sen. Bam on TRAIN Law, BBL and Kris Aquino running in 2019
(Transcript of The Chiefs' interview)

On TRAIN Law

Q: Senator, thank you for joining us (inaudible). Senator, people are talking about TRAIN law (inaudible)

SEN. BAM: P10,000

Q: You have a proposal, people are saying that Senator Bam Aquino wants to suspend, what's the proper term for you in regards to what you want to happen?

SEN. BAM: Well unang-una Robby it's a safeguard, it seeks to rollback the excise taxes on petroleum products.

Q: Not suspend?

SEN. BAM: Rollback and suspend, kasi kapag sinabi mong suspension and this is the one that you find in the law, mayroong safeguard na natira in the law na kapag umabot ka ng $80 per barrel mayroong suspension but there's also another clause there that says it suspends any future increases, any increases that so far will be retained, so ibig sabihin niyan yung current safeguard na nasa batas will only suspend the January 2019 and January 2020 increases; hindi iyan yung gusto natin kasi yung gusto natin yung lahat ng ipinataw nung 2018 ma-rollback ito at mawala temporarily which is why safeguard is another important word. We're not seeking to repeal the law, ang hinahanap lang po natin is put in a safeguard na kapag tumataas na yung presyo ng bilihin based on the inflation rate, kapag sumobra na ito sa target range ng Bangko Sentral this year it's 4% if it goes above that for three months �now it's 4.6%, actually ngayon po tatlong buwan na iyang lumalagpas sa 4%, dapat i-suspend muna itong pagtaas, i-rollback yung excise taxes, at i-suspend muna yung posibleng pagtaas niya sa January 2019 and January 2020. Kapag bumaba na ito ulit, dahil safeguard nga siya, pwede na sigurong ibalik but right now this safeguard is very important kasi kung wala po niyan we will come to a situation in January na mataas na yung presyo ng bilihin but the law says kailangan pa tayong magtaas ulit in January 2019, and I think that's something na hindi na po acceptable sa mga tao.

Q: (inaudible) the Congress appreciates these taxes (?)

SEN. BAM: Some of us did.

Q: The situation (inaudible)

SEN. BAM: Wala, actually originally it was in the Senate version, we passed the Senate version, I was the one who actually proposed na maglagay ng safeguard and the DOF was so confident that we wouldn't reach 4% but we didn't really allow it in the Senate. So in the Senate version if you look at the version there, dalawa yung safeguard natin based on the oil per barrel and inflation. Pagdating natin sa final version after the Bicam, natanggal yung safeguard based on inflation.

Q: Bakit siya natanggal?

SEN. BAM: It's a mystery, ma'am, hindi ko rin po alam kung bakit natanggal. Hinahanap po namin sa records, hindi rin po malinaw kung bakit po natanggal but what we want to do ibalik natin itong safeguard na ito because clearly prices are out of control, and I say "out of control" ang basis po niyan is lagpas na tayo sa acceptable inflation rate range.

Q: (inaudible) out of control in the passage of (inaudible) inflation, do you attribute it to the TRAIN or the substandard (inaudible)?

SEN. BAM: There are three things. One's the world crude oil prices, number two is the Peso-Dollar exchange, and number three is TRAIN. Of all the presentations of DOF and NEDA, hindi nila matanggal yun TRAIN diyan. Now yung unang dalawa, yung world prices for crude oil and Peso-Dollar exchange rate wala talaga tayong magagawa diyan, kahit anong gawin ng gobyerno at ng mga legislators kahit magpasa pa tayo ng mga batas wala talaga tayong magagawa diyan, we're powerless to actually affect that in the (inaudible). Yung kaya nating maapektuhan ay yung TRAIN law kasi yung nagdesisyon ay yung nagpataw niyan, so pwede ring tanggalin, now at this point hindi na siguro mahalaga kung ano ba talaga diyan ang malaki ang contribution, sino ba talaga ang may sala dito, at this point people are simply looking for action, yun talaga yung hinahanap nila.

Q: That's why we asked (inaudible) earlier guest last week. Inflation is inflation but I think part of the computation of the P10,000 theoretical ba, they said they wanted to talk about inflation but looking at it they just (inaudible) and to spread out the (inaudible), and then they say na maliit na maliit lang ang dapat isisi sa TRAIN.

SEN. BAM: Yung 0.04% by the way nag-iiba yan, supposed to be 0.07% up to 0.09% naging 0.04%, whatever the case iyang dinagdag mo na iyan nakadagdag pa rin iyan sa pampabigat sa ating taumbayan. Is it logical or reasonable to add taxes at a time when prices are going up? during the time when we were deliberating about TRAIN, remember ang dollar per barrel mga $50+ now it's $70+, so that may continue to go up and may slightly go down but in any case it's about $20 more already.

Q: (inaudible) but it's also not true that despite the fact that (inaudible) that it would not have been anticipated.

SEN. BAM: Well I think it should've been anticipated, it's only been 6 months but in any case pataas iyan, dumagdag, nabibigatan ang taumbayan dagdagan mo pa ng taxes. Parang hindi siya logical for me, kapag yung tao nalulunod na sa presyo ng bilihin babatuhan mo ng salbabida, you provide relief at hindi mo babatuhan ng hollow block mas malulunod pa siya. Again what we want to, kasi ito yung contribution ng world prices, exchange rate, at TRAIN, the point is contribution pa rin yan. At this point I think the government needs to act and make sure na kahit anong pampabigat sa tao huwag naman nating bigatan pa, let us provide relief when people are injured.

Q: But do you think the 0.04% is really a reasonable number? Kasi if it is just 0.04% and if you roll it back, will any of this matter?

SEN. BAM: Well it should, because we're at 4.4% to 4.6%, ang sinasabi po anywhere from 0.04% to 0.07%, magkakaiba po iyan but whatever is the case dumadagdag iyan sa inflation natin, and as we know ang inflation there's a domino effect, there's a spiraling effect to all of these prices, and I remember during the deliberation ang sabi po namin sigurado po ba kayo na kapag itinaas ninyo ang presyo ng gasolina at diesel hindi iyan makakaapekto sa ibang produkto?, hindi po, hindi iyan makakaapekto, napakaliit lang ang sabi 7 centavos lang dapat yan, that's always being (inaudible). If you go to our markets yung presyo ng sardinas mo hindi naman iyan tumaas ng 7 centavos piso yan hanggang dalawang piso yung umakyat, so maraming assumptions na mali, maraming mga binanggit na dapat hindi mangyayari na nangyari na. The question is what are we doing about it? Ano yung ating aksyon ngayon kasi kung magtuturuan lang tayo, yung mga tao naghihirap pa rin and I think, again this is my suggestion and we have counterparts also in Congress, ang pinaka-reasonable itong pagtaas natin ng presyo ng gasolina, kerosene, at tsaka ng diesel bigyan muna natin ng relief yung mga tao, yung dinadagdag natin diyan tanggalin muna natin hanggang patuloy ang pagtaas ang presyo ng mga bilihin.

Q: But the government is saying this is just short-term pain for a long-term gain.

SEN. BAM: Well makikita naman po natin iyan sa inflation, if the inflation does indeed go back to 2% then maybe it's true, but right now tinaas na ng BSP ang annual forecast natin so meaning there is a recognition na tataas pa ito until the year ends. Now yung long-term tsaka short-term na iyan, madaling sabihin iyan pero kapag ikaw araw-araw yung problema mo at araw-araw concerned ka kung paano mo mapapakain yung pamilya mo, hindi ata acceptable na sa susunod nalang yung tulong.

Q: Tsaka bihirang-bihira talaga yung umaakyat yung presyo and then they go down.

SEN. BAM: Parang never pa ata ako nakitang bumaba except sa (inaudible) prices. Kapag dating sa mga products sa supermarket, you know ito nalang ganito kasimple, kausap namin mga magsasaka ng Isabela the other week, ano yung concern nila? And open ito, we didn't mean to talk about TRAIN we just asked kung ano po ba yung concerns niyo ngayon "Sir, yung concern po namin yung fertilizer namin, noon P600-700 ngayon po P1,200", bakit ganyan kalaki ang tinaas niyan? "kasi po tina-transport po ito, ganoon na po siya kataas ngayon". Kausap ko yung mga jeepney operators, anong concerns po ninyo ngayon? Noong ano ganito po ang kita namin pero ngayon dahil ang taas na po ng diesel parang nangalahati po yung kita namin. So hindi mo talaga pwedeng sabihin na walang epekto, ramdam na ramdam na ng tao yung epekto.

Q: Pumunta po tayo doon sa panukala na i-suspend, i-rollback and more importantly the bottomline of what you're saying (inaudible). You are saying that the safeguards were actually catered in the law when it was passed and then for some reasons sa final version nawala, but moving forward does that mean therefore (inaudible), are you counting on (inaudible)?

SEN. BAM: Yes, kumabaga napagbotohan na po ito. This was considered reasonable, logical, acceptable, it should be the same now. Wala namang pinagkaiba. Different (inaudible) it's the same senators who voted for the law, now pangalawa naghahanap ang tao ng aksyon and of all the proposed actions I think this is the most reasonable because it's a safeguard, we're not repealing or deleting the law we're just saying kapag out of control na ito at yung hindi natin inaasahan nangyayari na kailangan natin ng paraan para pigilan ito, and I think that Senate Bill 1798 is that reasonable, logical, and common sense solution to our problem.

Q: You state that the current prices as the baseline for (inaudible)

SEN. BAM: No, very specific kasi yung magkano yung idagdag sa gasolina, diesel at kerosene, so yung dinagdag natin for 2018 magkakaiba iyan doon sa tatlong klase ng produktong iyan, lahat ng dinagdag natin because of TRAIN tatanggalin kapag lumalampas na yung inflation natin. Currently we're already 3-months above our inflation rate target.

On Bangsamoro Basic Law

Q: What's your proposed (inaudible)?

SEN. BAM: Unang-una Robby I'm one of the co-authors ng BBL so I was a co-author in the 16th Congress and I'm a co-author in the 17th Congress. This is a cross-party initiative; Senator Zubiri of course led the way, the majority, Senator Hontiveros and I who are part of the minority are also co-authors. I think the version that we will come out in (inaudible) is one which we can be proud of, currently magkaibang.magkaiba yung House pati Senate, so those who will be members of the Bicam will have a tough time but I'm hoping sa kaduluduluhan ng lahat they'll come up with a version that our Muslim brothers and sisters will be happy with and a lot of those who are sharing their concerns about constitutionality and some of the security provisions will also be happy with.

Q: (inaudible) for example he has pointed out na the old ARMM is actually more powerful than the Bangsamoro region that the Congress plans to put up, for example the expansion of the territory.

SEN. BAM: That's (inaudible), yung opt in and opt out provisions of the BBL. Si Congress I think had once lang (inaudible) isang bagsakan lang, so I could understand why they're apprehensive, but a number of the provinces who are not part of the BBL also share some concerns about opt in. These are one of those provisions where there was some debate and issues among legislators but I think in the end magba-Bicam pa naman yan, hopefully we can surface all of these issues and come to a common ground.

Q: But as far as (inaudible) concerned both versions are problematic to the MILF, so even if you (inaudible) if you end up with a version that is still problematic to the MILF.

SEN. BAM: Ang nabanggit ko rin sa DTC (?) kasi ang DTC (inaudible) sabi ko there are some provisions here na kukwestyunin but ang mahalaga ay yung spirit nung batas makukuha pa rin natin, and having that opt-in and opt-out I can understand why it's very sensitive but in the end it tries to satisfy those in the DTC, those who are outside of the Bangsamoro area, ano kasi yan kailangan nating intindihin rin na yung ibang mga karatig probinsya also have their concerns hindi lang yung mga nasa loob ng proposed Bangsamoro area. So these were being managed, all problems and causes as all of you know legislation is really (inaudible) stakeholders. In the end hopefully we'll come up with a version that is acceptable to all parties, I'm confident with that.

Q:(inaudible) what happened before we already (inaudible) is it better than that? The question is will it bring peace to Mindanao, I mean there's no guarantee that it will bring peace in Mindanao but will it lead to a better peace in Mindanao during the BBL peace agreements, do you think it will be a better version, will it have a better chance of bringing peace in Mindanao? They call this breakaway (inaudible).

SEN. BAM: It will have a better chance.

Q: And if there's unhappiness in the MILF.

SEN. BAM: Lahat naman may unhappiness, tanong nalang kung gaano kalaking (inaudible) or are they going to be violent or not. Pero palagay ko po yung isang hindi rin napag-uusapan in the BBL, we talk about the political side a lot with the provinces, the assembly, hindi napag-uusapan is the support that the government is giving to the Bangsamoro area like the (inaudible) grant, the opportunity for the best (inaudible)

Q: But the other peace agreement has a lot of support

SEN. BAM: But ito po medyo generous yung funding, hopefully opening up businesses also. But let me just add to that, I think when the BBL was being created there's a lot of countries who are also part of the process, and all of them also said we will support by providing business and investments.

SEN. BAM: But the investments didn't come, but ngayon po what's important to see is that..

Q: I mean how is this different?

SEN. BAM: It's very different if you look at the form but the question is implementation, hopefully these investments will come and hopefully development is (inaudible), chicken and the egg iyan, peace brings development.

Q: Hopefully.

SEN. BAM: Yes, but development also brings peace.

Q: (inaudible) and people are already asking (inaudible). How crucial is what's happening in Marawi, to beyond the political question (inaudible), how crucial is that?

SEN. BAM: Hindi mo pwedeng paghiwalayin iyan. If we look at the prospects of the Bangsamoro area, we're looking for (inaudible), we're looking for our Muslim brothers and sisters being able to determine their future, and hopefully that determination and trust will lead to less extremism and less problems in terms of terrorism, so magkadikit iyan. Yung isa pa rin kasing hindi rin siguro napag-uusapan when the rest of the Philippines supports this area it's the Filipino people telling our Muslim brothers and sisters that we trust you that you can actually get things done, you can (inaudible) development, and to be honest that's still one of the big issues for some leaders that element of trust but by Congress, Senate, and the executive pushing for this and going cross-party really pushing for this, so you're basically saying ito yung Bangsamoro, this is the area that we've been wanting for so long and we're giving it you, yes there'll be some safeguards but more or less we trust that you can make this happen. Hopefully down the line they'll be able to contend any of these issues among themselves.

Q: Sir, we're talking about trust already so let me ask you about the bank grant, I understand from 6% is now down to 5% (inaudible) but there's also a complaint that there's a provision that no longer provides it automatic a portion of that (inaudible), and that was also one complaint among others.

SEN. BAM: Yes, (inaudible) in the Senate and again I don't know what the final version will be paglabas sa Bicam but some of the senators were supporting siguro masasabi natin more powers over this block grant (?) so that any other agency or any other area pwedeng sabihin saan ito mapupunta, sa education ba? And then within those ranges the Bangsamoro Parliament can then budget it on their own, so this is one of those things na talagang matagal nang pinag-uusapan, I know that DTC has some issues on this. Paglabas nito sa Bicam I think we'll probably go back to more powers for the Bangsamoro Parliament to determine where the money will go.

Q: This block grant (inaudible), are you confident that on these constitutional issues, I think about 5 or more�

SEN. BAM: Depends on who's asking.

Q: You're all expecting challenges before the Supreme Court.

SEN. BAM: I don't know who will challenge it honestly, it seems the (inaudible) detractors have quieted down, again we're looking at this cross-party so hindi ko po talaga alam kung sino yung magcha-challenge nito but what the senators did, specifically Senators Drilon and Recto, who were at the (inaudible) of the interpellations and amendments sinikap po nila na masigurado na wala pong unconstitutional dito sa nalabas naming BBL, so I'm hoping that if anyone does complain about it we will riddle the test of constitutionality.

Q: Sir, just give you one more (inaudible) the abolition of ARMM, that's being questioned (inaudible) even by Stephen Alvarez who is pushing for the BBL he acknowledges (inaudible).

SEN. BAM: Mayroon talagang mga issues iyan, coming into the version that was filed but I think through the process in Congress, Senate and hopefully the Bicam, any other issues of constitutionality will be (inaudible) so hopefully yung lalabas dito yung talagang matatawag nating Bangsamoro Basic Law not only it's constitutional but can be hopeful for our brothers and sisters in the Bangsamoro area.

Q: (inaudible)

SEN. BAM: Of course, you know again yung proseso po nito has taken years, it's not just even during the previous administration this is the products of years already and a lot of people are looking at this, I don't think they will come out with a final version na mayroon pa ring issues of unconstitutionality.

On TRAIN Law (continuation)

SEN. BAM: Yung isa pang malaking rason kung bakit ma-suspend o maitigil yung (inaudible) is because the parts of the law which are meant to help our poor countrymen are not implemented properly. Unang.una diyan yung Unconditional Cash Transfer that is meant for 10 million families, the reason why nandiyan iyan is because without that cash transfer there is a recognition by the Department of Finance that the TRAIN law is anti-poor kasi yung matataman po dito ay yung mahihirap nating kababayan, now that provision in the law, the Unconditional Cash Transfer, according to DSWD has not been implemented fully in fact it's less than maybe 30% palang yung nabibigyan ng tulong.

Q: (inaudible) not only the law but the budget is your (inaudible)?

SEN. BAM: Yes, the budget is there, anywhere from P28 billion yung nakalagay diyan at nandiyan yung pera nakalagay sa batas and yet hindi ito mapatupad, there's no time to survey, no time to find out ways to get the cash, yung binanggit ng DSWD in the previous hearing was that they can only do it in September. Now yung panahon ng botohan ng TRAIN I raised this point na hindi ba pwedeng magkasabay yung pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin at itong programang tutulong sa mga mahihirap, at ang binanggit sa akin mauuna yung pagtaas at yung tulong to follow, so that's why I voted no and in the end there were only 4 who voted no. Now that itself is already cause for the alarm, kumbaga aminado tayo na yung batas, kung wala ito, hindi makakatulong sa mga mahihirap. It's already been 6 months wala pa rin to. The first thing that we need to do sa Train is to implement the cash transfers. Yun yung dapat pinakauna. Nasa batas na yan, may pondo nay an, we have to do that as soon as possible. Pangalawa, yung safe guard. That is just to protect us anytime there is a surge in prices, may pang protect tayo sa pagdagdag natin sa presyo. Yung pangatlo, hindi pa natin napag-uusapan, yung bigas kasi that is another key component why are countrymen are suffering. Masyadong mataas yung presyo ng bigas sa merkado. Then, we go back to the NFA problem. Na yung NFA natin weren't able to do their jobs for more than a year. Because of that, nawala yung NFA sa merkado, nagtaasan yung commercial rice, and between your commercial rice prices and the lack of NFA in the market, Train Law, pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina, kerosene, at diesel, and this UCT na hindi pa napapatupad - talagang mabigat na yan sa mga kababayan natin. We need to see action in those reforms.

Reporter:

SEN. BAM: Yes, currently we are talking about that. Panawagan ko nga, gawin na itong priority ng senado. As soon as we are able to get more affordable rice in our country, then our people will have the option to have this more affordable rice. Hopefully, yung kabigatan ng presyo, at least kahit papano ay mas gagaan. For common pinoy, 20% ng kanyang pera goes to rice. So malaking bagay yung bigas, yung presyo ng bilihin. Wala pa tayo dyan sa wages, availability of high-paying jobs. These are all concerns of our countrymen na araw-araw nilang hinahanap.

Reporter: If you roll-back the taxes on petroleum products, well of course you are looking for a loss on revenue. What about the old programs that we have already?

SEN. BAM: Thank you for asking. Palagay ko may kaunting intellectual dishonesty kapag binabangga na rin yung programa ng gobyerno at train. The contribution of excise tax for Train is just 70 Billion pesos. Our budget every year is 3.3 Trillion pesos. So maliit lang yan compared sa total budget ng gobyerno. Magkano yung underspending natin nung 2017? - 390 Billion pesos. Our underspending is much more that the possible collection on excise taxes. So mahahanapan mo yan ng kabangga. Ang tanong lang talaga, Yes mahalaga yung collection, ano yung uunahin mo: efficiency ng ahensa? BIR at customs corruption at efficiency? O dadagdagan mo yung presyo ng bilihin tapos kukunin mo sa bulsa ng taong bayan? Syempre, yun yung dapat panghuli. Unahin mo dapat yung efficiency measures. Hopefully with the eagle eyes of the senate - Sen. Lacson and Sen. Legarda, I think when we go to the budget again, we can find ways to fill up the gap that might happen if we suspend excise tax on petroleum.

Reporter: 390 Billion under spending?

SEN. BAM: Yes, ganun kalaki yun. Yan yung pera na nilaan sa mga ahensya pero di nila nagamit at binalik pa nila at the end of the year. So that's a huge amount of money. If we became more efficient, di mo na kailangan magdagdag ng taxes on these products. But the question is bakit yung first option natin ay pahirapan yung mga tao?

Reporter: What is the bottleneck there?

SEN. BAM: May mga proyekto kasi na hindi pa handa pero nabibigyan ng budget. Example, may infrastructure project na hindi pa pala kumpleto yung lahat ng mga right of way, pag binid yan, di pa kumpleto lahat and it takes a really long time. Kapag nag lapse na yung taon mo at di mo nagastos yun, it becomes underspending so ibabalik mo lang din yan. Bakit di mo na lang ibudget the following year? And for this current year, dun mo gawin lahat ng pre-work. I handled the budget for DepEd. We have a huge budget for classrooms but kasi pagpunta mo dun sa baba, may per aka nga at gusto mo to ipatayo pero yung lupa, di naman sayo. Iba pala may-ari. Wala na palang mahanap na lupa para patayuan ng classroom. So these are all efficiency things - mga bagay-bagay na pwede kang maka-save ng pera which I think might be a better action than raising prices for our people.

Reporter: Speaking of Sen. Lacson, . Sen. Lacson said meron daw pong magwiwithdraw ng mga signatures and I ask this because the IBP just filed a petition before the Supreme Court to overturn the COA. What can you say about this?

SEN. BAM: A number of us, the whole minority and some members of the majority, nagsalita nap o kami publicly. Na yung nangyari kay Chief Justice Sereno was unconstitutional.

Reporter: This is a rare time for the senate na there is support of the minority for some.

SEN. BAM: Sa mga bagay na mahahalaga talaga, yung bilingan hindi minority-majority. Each senator probably would have spoken. So in this particular case, marami samin ang nagsalita na yung nangyari kay CJ Sereno ay pinayagan umabot sa senado yung kaso niya cause that's what's in the constitution. Ang paraan para tanggalin ang CJ ay impeachment at hindi quo warranto. Of course magkakaiba yung panananaw ng mga senador, only 14 signed the resolution expressing the quo warranto was unconstitutional. I don't know kung may magbabago pa ng posisyon. It is very uncommon na magbabago ang senador pagka-pirma niya at publicly na siya tapos babaguhin niya ang kanyang stand, that's very uncommon but we'll be tackling this when we get back. Now on the part of the minority, malinas samin na unconstitutional yung nangyari. Hindi yan pangkaraniwan sa ating bansa. Ang honestly because of that move, our democracy is weakened.

Reporter: Don't you think that statement should have been made before the actual decision?

SEN. BAM: A number of us have made public statements pero palagay ko yung decision jolted some of my colleagues to actually signing the resolution. Iba kasi kapag may resolution at may sides of the senate, ibig sabihin yun yung pakiramdam ng buong institution, di lang ng isang senador.

Reporter:

SEN. BAM: Ako masaya ako na 14 ang pumirma dun. Actually I didn't even expect na aabot kami ng 12. Pero the fact na 14 took a risk and stuck their heads out, I think that is a good sign.

Reporter: Do you think that the minority is getting stronger? The Duterte administration is entering its third year. Lalaki po ba ang ating minority sa house?

SEN. BAM: Hindi ko alam. I don't think so.

Reporter: And sa senate, as you are saying, you are more independent.

SEN. BAM: I don't think lalaki po yung minority. I don't think it's a matter of more members of the majority or the minority. Hindi ganun.

Reporter: Is there a better chance in 2019?

SEN. BAM: Before we go to politics, I think it's really more yung mga senador ay representative ng public opinion. So hindi siya necessarily minority-majority issue. But if there's an issue na the public is behind it, or in the case of CJ Sereno - institutions are behind her then I think the senators will respond accordingly. And the vote will be cross-party. The times na nag cross party kami are the times when big reforms happen. Free education, Bangsamoro Basic Law, and hoping we can go cross party again to help our countrymen with the prices. Itong kay CJ Sereno may mga panahon na nag ccross party kami and these are the times that you can really say na the senate is taking it's claim on independence.

Reporter: What's your prognosis for the liberal party? Can you even have a full slate on 2019?

SEN. BAM: I don't think so. And I don't think we should.

Reporter: Why not?

SEN. BAM: Because ang tawag ng panahon ay hindi ang LP magbuo ng 12. Ang tawag ng panahon ay magkaroon ng coalition ang oposisyon made up of different parties, institutions, and groups. There might be people there who never wanted to run to begin with. There might be people there na representing senators. I wouldn't mind. The church has been maligned by this administration and they are very vocal against the EJK. I wouldn't mind if we'd have representatives who represent churches. Not just the Catholic Church, but the religious sector in general. Marami sa mga schools ang nagsalita. I wouldn't mind if there are representatives who come from these institutions and maybe some politiko. So mag-iiba talaga yung mukha ng oposisyon. Kung hindi siya mag-iiba, hindi siya magiging relevant. That's my take ha.

Reporter: You were with Sereno a while ago, have you discussed this? Have you invited her?

SEN. BAM: No, I haven't and I'm not doing that inviting. Im one of the invited.

Reporter: In fairness to you, let's clarify that statement baka people might misconclude. You were at an event�

SEN. BAM: Where we were both speakers. We were both invited to a youth event. Tinanong siya ng one of the students. Yung binanggit nya is di pa tapos yung kaso niya and her MR is still on-going. And pagdadasal nya. She will decide in the proper time.

Reporter: Would you mind that the smattering of the candidates will include Kris Aquino?

SEN. BAM: I don't mind.

Reporter: Is there room for 2 Aquinos in the senate?

SEN. BAM: To be honest, pag-uusapan pa namin yan.

Reporter: Pero kalat na yung report ngayon na she's running for the senate.

SEN. BAM: At this point, anyone who is willing to stand up and speak out, have that voice is welcome. Anyone who is winnable and kaya manindigan is more then welcome.

Reporter: Pag-uusapan niyo, are you going to set a meeting on Wednesday?

SEN. BAM. No, no no. Sabi naman niya she has to pray for it. Mga chismosa pala yung the chief ha? Let me say this. At this point na winnable ka at kaya mo manindigan, you're more than welcome in the opposition slate. Kailangan namin yan.

Reporter: What's winnable? Is there room for 2 Aquinos?

SEN. BAM: Alam mo pag-uusapan namin yan. Siya naman yung ate, di ba?

Reporter: Is that a family decision? Or is it a party decision?

SEN. BAM: That's a family decision obviously. Si Kris, if she decides to run, I think she'd win. Honestly ha kung itutuloy niya tong paninindigan laban sa ginagawa ng mga administrasyon, I think she'd be very welcome in the senate.

Reporter: Who would you say is the leader of the opposition?

SEN. BAM: VP Leni.

Reporter: Do you think that is how people perceive it as well?

SEN. BAM: Well she is the highest-ranking opposition member. So in that sense she does lead it. But I'll put it another way, in the same way na yung opposition dapat bago yung mukha na dapat galing sa iba-ibang sector. These days, you find the resistance in different places. Makikita mo siya sa mga eskwelahan, sa simbahan, sa mga estudyante. Im not obligating the role of leaders, mahalaga pa rin na may mga pinuno ka. At the end of the day, we have to recognize na it's not like before. Na it's not just the personalities leading the way. Iba siya. Ang honestly, ako I like it. I like it na iba yung porma niya, iba yung dating niya, ang hopefully maappreciate din ng tao. Hindi ito ang usual. This election hopefully it pushes through on 2019. Hindi yan business as usual na ito ang kulay ko, ito ang partido ko. It is more than that. We are really fighting for more than just positions. Ako, I really believe we are fighting for the future of our country.

Reporter: Do you think na she's doing enough to . For a lot of people, to be honest, she seems reluctant on her level.

SEN. BAM: She's a reluctant politician but I think she is a really capable leader. She's currently talking to the different groups and who better to lead the opposition if not the VP.

Reporter: One more question about VP Leni, you said that she is the leader of the opposition but she does not seem to be that active in pushing the stands of the opposition.

SEN. BAM. No, she is but maybe hindi lang to nababalita enough. But if you look at her positions on the West Philippine Sea, on CJ Sereno. These are all very clear and she has made that line and her stand there. I think right now my hope for the opposition is we go beyond politics. Kasi ang politika sa pilipinas ay personalities. Ang tanong dyan, ano ba talaga yung hugot ng politika sa Pilipinas. That's why we keep on talking about Train, a lot of our colleagues talk about killings which happen primarily in poor areas. Ano yung hugot? Yung hugot dapat ay yung taong bayan. Ano yung nangyayari sa Pilipino ngayon. NAhihirapan sya kumain, nahihirapan siyang makahanap ng trabaho, and in some urban poor areas, pinapatay yung kapitbahay nila. Yun dapat yung hugot. And if we do want to go with this in the 2019 elections, the battle which is tremendously underdog and opposition, yung hugot mo kelangan seryoso at totoo.

It's the best way to really contextualize this fight. Its not just individuals, positions, parties. It really has something to be deeper than that if we really want to go into this difficult a battle. And maybe si VP Leni's advocacy of puntahan ang laylayan, at ano yung mga pangangailangan ng mga pinakamahihirap sa Pilipinas, nag sysync e. It is all coming together. Hopefully, when the opposition does show its face, that's when people can win.

Reporter: But you are also saying when you're going around the country, you get support. That is why I am asking if there is going to be a bigger opposition on 2019? Better chances of expansion?

SEN. BAM: I am. I'm expecting na marami sa mga tahimik ngayon at di pa gaano nagsasalita, magsasalita na yan kapag panahon ng eleksyon. Elections in our country is the time when people exercise their ability to choose, exercise their freedom, voice, and hopefully kapag puno na puno na, there will be more of us who will say na parang may problema yung current policies ng gobyerno. Parang may problema tayo na nakikita. Kailangan na to enforce correction. And hopefully, more people will look at the opposition in a better way.

Reporter: Do you think the South China Sea will be an issue during the elections?

SEN. BAM: For a number of Filipinos, I think para sa marami, they really think of prices. It will still be your ability to feed your family, and take care of your family. Pero maraming mga tao ngayon ay di na talaga masaya sa mga nangyayari sa Pilipinas. On line, makikita niyo yan. I was also in the forum earlier, a lot of people also went there to really find out ano ba talaga yung nangyari at ano pa yung mangyayari sa 2020. Because the administration makes it look like na mukhang wala tayong magagawa. And I think that's their best weapon to say na: "Masyado silang malakas e, wala talaga tayong magagawa nyan. Tumahimik ka na lang. Kumita na lang tayo sa mga aids, mga loans, o whatever." But the sad part of it is kapag nasa politika ka, nakakasanay yan e. Masasanay ka na talaga na subservient ka to a bigger country at yun yung ayaw natin. We want to be able to say: "Ok, fine maybe there are some areas na . Dun sa teritoryo natin, meron nang militarization in our own area, we have to take a stand there as people." And hopefully our leaders, again this is not just political, but all our leaders need to take a stand.

Reporter: Looking at the voters today, You mentioned a lot of issues na kumakalam na at saka tumataas pa rin ang presyo ng bilihin, the killings, and yet despite all of these, yes survey shoes na naapektuhan din naman ang approval ratings ni pangulong Duterte, but mataas pa rin naman. To what to do you attribute the still high approval ratings of the Duterte administration?

SEN. BAM: Ang tingin ko dyan that the personality of the president is maybe much like the formal president Erap. Iba yung paningin sakanya. A lot of people like him. He has a lot of supporters therefore yung approval niya ay mataas. Pero pag hinimay mo yung mga issues around him at tinutulak niya, makikita mo iba yung numero. When there was a survey about the killings, I think more than 50%, even higher than 60% said na hindi sila naniniwala na legitimate yung mga patayan na nangyayari. If you look at the cha-cha issue, and more than half say na hindi sila for cha-cha for federalism. And I'm sure if you look at the West Philippine Sea, ipasurvey mo yan, mas marami sa mga pinoy magsasabi na sa issue an yan, hindi kami pabor dahil pamimigay mo lang yung teritoryo natin o yung ating exclusive economic zone.

Reporter: Well there are surveys na very low ang trust for China.

SEN. BAM: Yes, as a lawmaker and as a politician, kailangan mo tong intindihin rin. May mga issues talaga na mabigat sa mga tao kaya kailangan mo rin itong itackle. Just because na they are connected to the president, di ibig sabihin nun na di ka na maninindigan. I think for many of these issues, I think the opposition should be on the right said of where the people want to see us. Tingin ko naman sa palagay nay un, hindi kami nagkakamali. Now, how that will translate into elections? I'm not sure. I don't know that the personality of the president can carry all of the 12 of his candidates. I'm hoping na pagdating ng election, sasabihin ng mga tao na "uy eto yung mga nanindigan sa mga issue na mahalaga sa akin, ito yung mga nanindigan sa presyo, sa patayan, sa china, among many others. And say na this people can speak for us. They may not be necessarily with the president but they speak for us and therefore we'll vote for them."

Reporter: How come you translate that into numbers that you can bring to . Of course you go with the issue but you go don't go with the president.

SEN. BAM: Yes, because people are complex. Hindi sila black and white. I think maybe media thinks of us all as black and white but people are complex. Iba yung kanilang pananaw sa bawat issue. They might be for the administration for a particular issue but for the opposition in another issue. Iba-iba. And I'm hoping na yung mga Pilipino at the end of the day titignan kami based sa kung ano yung nagawa namin. Ano ba yung paninindigan namin, ano ba yung nagawa namin para sa kanila, ano pa yung potensyal na gawin namin para sakanila. In that sense, I think the opposition will have more than a fighting chance.

Reporter: Do you think this will matter in local races for Congress because mas personality din dyan e. Mga patronage driven?

SEN. BAM: Iba talaga ang politika sa local.

Reporter: Sa senate I know they will probably pick you for issues, saka hindi masyadong ano si Presidente dyan. Kaya lang pagdating sa Congress, syempre sino ba tong nag-aalaga sakin, sino ba tong nagbibigay sakin ng bulaklak. You know.

SEN. BAM: At the end of the day, ang iisipin ng mga tao ay "Ano bang pakinabang ng tao na ito sa akin? Ano bang pakinabang niya nung tumataas ang presyo ng bilihin? Ano bang pakinabang niya nung yung anak ko di makapag college kasi wala kaming pera?" Hindi pwede sabihin na those aren't valid reasons. All reasons are I think valid. Ang mahalaga is, kapag nakita ka na tumatakbo ka, ang sasabihin ng tao "Ito may pakinabang to sa akin. Or may potensyal itong may pakinabang." And yung pakinabang goes in many connections. So I'm looking forward to the 2019 elections. I think it will be exciting, as usual, all terms are referendum of the current administration so like everyone, gusto ko malaman ano ba yung magiging resulta nun.

Reporter: You think the killings will be an issue? Kasi malakas and suporta kay president precisely because of his strong stand on law and order.

Reporter:

SEN. BAM: Well we hear a lot of things, but mahirap magsalita at this point. I hope we will investigate that in the senate and file a resolution to look specifically to the killings. I think it will have an effect on particular events. Sa totoo lang, you know in Caloocan for example kung saan more than 500 na yung pinatay, Quezon City, Bulacan, marami na rin. You have specific areas where napakatindi nung mga nangyaring patayan to the point na practicaly in this urban poor areas, may kakilala sila. Kung baga 2 degrees of separation na lang yan. Kakilala nung kanilang kaibigan, o sila mismo may naapektuhan and when you look at the thousands who have killed during the drug war, imposibleng walang epekto yan in these areas na malakas ang patayan.

Reporter: The height of these killings around last year. This year we haven't heard as high.

SEN. BAM: We haven't heard as high pero meron pa rin. Bumaba sya and obviously that's good. But nagtataka din ako maybe marami na ring hindi narereport. So these are things I think that we can tackle again in the senate in the proper investigation during the budget and try to get some sense in these figures and numbers. How prevalent this was during the last few months.

Reporter: We don't have a lot of time but I do want to go back to Noynoy Aquino. I just want to know your thoughts because they create this narratives na "kasalanan yan ng previous administration, wala nama ginawa yung administration". Do you think that everything the Aquino administration stood for will still matter and still be remembered?

SEN. BAM: If you look at PNoy's administration, they never really took credit for what they did. It's just wasn't their style and I think it was a mistake. I remember having conversations with Pnoy and he was quite proud na walang nakikita na billboard na may mukha ko, wala kang nakikita na such projects were done during my time. Maybe it was a mistake kasi you need people to know what their leaders do for them. Thet's something I think I learned in the past 2 years. Kailangan alam ng mga tao kung ano ang ginagawa mo para sa kanila. Maybe absence makes the heart goes fonder. Hopefully, there will come a time when the things that they did during their time: 4Ps, Philhealth, K-12. These are all major reforms. Pag tanungin mo siguro yung regular na naglalakad sa kalsada siguro sasabihin mo "ano yung nagawa ni Pnoy?" I'm sure wala silang mababanggit. But these 3 big reforms: Philhealth, 4Ps and K12, these are all during his time. People don't recognize it now but maybe there will come a time hopefully when we are a little bit more circumspect able about whats happening, maalala at ma appreciate yun. But to be honest hindi namna talaga yan yung hinanap nila. Now, yung pagiging punching bag ng administration, you can actually track it. Kapag may malaking issue na dagok sa kanilang popularity, within a few days may kaso na yan, it's actually gotten kinda old and anyone who reads the papers quite regularly will see that there is also a pattern. I think si Pnoy na rin ang nagsabi na "di ako nangarap na maging punching bag ninyo." Kumbaga maraming bagay na bumenta nung 2016, 2-3 years later, hindi na sya ganun kabenta ngayon. I think more people are sparking already.

Reporter: Thank you for your time. We hope that what we have discussed here will keep the conversation going.