CONGRESSIONAL CAREER
House of Representatives
Aquino was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 1998, representing the 2nd district of Tarlac.Aquino won re-election in 2001 and 2004, and served until 2007.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Aquino passed numerous house bills and resolutions:
Aquino served on numerous committees as a member of the Congress of the Philippines:
· Civil
· Political & Human Rights
· Public Order & Security
· Transportation & Communications
· Agriculture
· Banks & Financial Intermediaries
· Peoples' Participation
· Suffrage and Electoral Reforms
· Appropriations
· Natural Resources
· Trade & Industry
· Good Government
· Inter-Parliamentary Relations & Diplomacy
· Energy
· Export Promotion
· Public Order & Safety
Aquino became Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on November 8, 2004, but relinquished the post on February 21, 2006, when Aquino joined the Liberal Party in calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the height of the Hello Garci scandal.
Aquino was also Chairman of the Board of the Central Luzon Congressional Caucus.
Senate
Barred from running for re-election to the House of Representatives of the Philippines, to represent the 2nd district of Tarlac, due to term limits, Aquino was elected to the Senate of the Philippinesin the 2007 Philippine midterm election on May 15, 2007, under the banner of the Genuine Opposition (GO), a coalition comprising a number of parties, including Aquino's own Liberal Party, seeking to curb attempts by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to amend the 1986 Philippine Constitution. In Aquino's political ads, he was endorsed by his younger sister, TV host Kris Aquino, and his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino. Although a Roman Catholic, Aquino was endorsed by the pentecostal Jesus Is Lord Church, one of the largest Protestant churches in the Philippines.With more than 14.3 million votes, Aquino's tally was the sixth highest of the 37 candidates for the 12 vacant seats elected from the nation at large. Aquino assumed his new office on June 30, 2007.
During the campaign, Aquino reached out to his former enemy, Senator Gregorio Honasan, supporting his application for bail. Aquino told Job Tabada of Cebu Daily News, on March 5, 2007;
"I endorse Honasan's request for bail para parehas ang laban [to even out the playing field]. I was hit by bullets from Honasan's men in the neck and hips but that's past now. The principle of my father was, 'Respect the rights even of your enemies.' Ito ang nagpatingkad ng demokrasya [This is what defines democracy]. Genuine reconciliation is democracy in action."
Aquino was referring to an unsuccessful coup attempt staged by rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan on August 28, 1987, in which Aquino was seriously injured.
Senate bills
The Budget Impoundment and Control Act (SB 3121), wherein "impoundment" refers to the power of the President to refuse the release of funds appropriated by the Congress of the Philippines, is another bill Aquino is proud of;he regretted, however, that such power has been used and abused by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a result of which abuse has been the significant emasculation of Congress' ability to check the President's authority. Aquino filed this bill so the President would have to pass through Congress every time the President decides to impound part of the budget.
Another significant Aquino contribution to the Philippines' corruption problem is Senate Bill 2035, which is the Preservation of Public Infrastructures bill, seeking to raise standards in the construction of all public infrastructures by penalizing contractors of defective infrastructures. The bill also requires the Bureau of Maintenance under the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct periodic inspections of public infrastructures.
Aquino also pushed for the passage of the Amending the Government Procurement Act (SB 2160), which applies to all government procurement activities regardless of source of funds whether local or foreign; only treaties or international/executive agreements entered into by the government prior to its enactment shall be exempt from coverage. The bill was filed in light of the Department of Justice declaration regarding the validity of the controversial NBN-ZTE scandal, wherein its international aspect, as well as the fact that it was an executive agreement, was cited as one reason for its exemption from the procurement process stipulated in Republic Act 9184.
Focusing further on accountability in government appropriations and spending, Aquino filed other reform-oriented, well-thought-out types of bills, among which were for: Philippine National Policereform; an increase in penalties for corporations and work establishments not compliant with minimum wage; the banning of reappointment to the Judicial and Bar Council; the prevention of reappointment and bypassing of the Commission on Appointments; real property valuation based on international standards; and superior responsibility for senior military officers, who are ultimately responsible for their own subordinates. However, none of these bills were passed into law.
Aquino was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 1998, representing the 2nd district of Tarlac.Aquino won re-election in 2001 and 2004, and served until 2007.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Aquino passed numerous house bills and resolutions:
- House Bill No. 4251, granting annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector.
- House Bill No. 4397, strengthening the regulatory power of the Department of Trade and Industry to effectively enforce consumer laws.
- House Bill No. 4252, increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers.
- House Bill No. 3616, extending the reglementary period for the educational qualification for the Philippine National Police.
- House Bill No. 1842, providing for the codification of criminal laws.
- House Resolution No. 65, inquiry in aid of legislation into the policies and processes of the Energy Regulatory Commission in granting rate increases to electric utilities.
- House Resolution No. 788, a house bill Aquino is reportedly proudest of, which created a Congressional Oversight Committee to check and study the use of intelligence funds by government agencies, thus ensuring that allocated funds are actually used for the purposes they were originally intended for.
Aquino served on numerous committees as a member of the Congress of the Philippines:
· Civil
· Political & Human Rights
· Public Order & Security
· Transportation & Communications
· Agriculture
· Banks & Financial Intermediaries
· Peoples' Participation
· Suffrage and Electoral Reforms
· Appropriations
· Natural Resources
· Trade & Industry
· Good Government
· Inter-Parliamentary Relations & Diplomacy
· Energy
· Export Promotion
· Public Order & Safety
Aquino became Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives on November 8, 2004, but relinquished the post on February 21, 2006, when Aquino joined the Liberal Party in calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the height of the Hello Garci scandal.
Aquino was also Chairman of the Board of the Central Luzon Congressional Caucus.
Senate
Barred from running for re-election to the House of Representatives of the Philippines, to represent the 2nd district of Tarlac, due to term limits, Aquino was elected to the Senate of the Philippinesin the 2007 Philippine midterm election on May 15, 2007, under the banner of the Genuine Opposition (GO), a coalition comprising a number of parties, including Aquino's own Liberal Party, seeking to curb attempts by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to amend the 1986 Philippine Constitution. In Aquino's political ads, he was endorsed by his younger sister, TV host Kris Aquino, and his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino. Although a Roman Catholic, Aquino was endorsed by the pentecostal Jesus Is Lord Church, one of the largest Protestant churches in the Philippines.With more than 14.3 million votes, Aquino's tally was the sixth highest of the 37 candidates for the 12 vacant seats elected from the nation at large. Aquino assumed his new office on June 30, 2007.
During the campaign, Aquino reached out to his former enemy, Senator Gregorio Honasan, supporting his application for bail. Aquino told Job Tabada of Cebu Daily News, on March 5, 2007;
"I endorse Honasan's request for bail para parehas ang laban [to even out the playing field]. I was hit by bullets from Honasan's men in the neck and hips but that's past now. The principle of my father was, 'Respect the rights even of your enemies.' Ito ang nagpatingkad ng demokrasya [This is what defines democracy]. Genuine reconciliation is democracy in action."
Aquino was referring to an unsuccessful coup attempt staged by rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan on August 28, 1987, in which Aquino was seriously injured.
Senate bills
The Budget Impoundment and Control Act (SB 3121), wherein "impoundment" refers to the power of the President to refuse the release of funds appropriated by the Congress of the Philippines, is another bill Aquino is proud of;he regretted, however, that such power has been used and abused by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a result of which abuse has been the significant emasculation of Congress' ability to check the President's authority. Aquino filed this bill so the President would have to pass through Congress every time the President decides to impound part of the budget.
Another significant Aquino contribution to the Philippines' corruption problem is Senate Bill 2035, which is the Preservation of Public Infrastructures bill, seeking to raise standards in the construction of all public infrastructures by penalizing contractors of defective infrastructures. The bill also requires the Bureau of Maintenance under the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct periodic inspections of public infrastructures.
Aquino also pushed for the passage of the Amending the Government Procurement Act (SB 2160), which applies to all government procurement activities regardless of source of funds whether local or foreign; only treaties or international/executive agreements entered into by the government prior to its enactment shall be exempt from coverage. The bill was filed in light of the Department of Justice declaration regarding the validity of the controversial NBN-ZTE scandal, wherein its international aspect, as well as the fact that it was an executive agreement, was cited as one reason for its exemption from the procurement process stipulated in Republic Act 9184.
Focusing further on accountability in government appropriations and spending, Aquino filed other reform-oriented, well-thought-out types of bills, among which were for: Philippine National Policereform; an increase in penalties for corporations and work establishments not compliant with minimum wage; the banning of reappointment to the Judicial and Bar Council; the prevention of reappointment and bypassing of the Commission on Appointments; real property valuation based on international standards; and superior responsibility for senior military officers, who are ultimately responsible for their own subordinates. However, none of these bills were passed into law.