1. ASEAN Party-List:
Academicians, Students and Educators Alliance (ASEAN). Our party was established in 2010. ASEAN Party-List is a sectoral party representing the Youth (students, out-of-school youth) and Professionals, as Academicians/Educators (we count as our natural constituents, parents and OFWs, who send or intend to send their children to school). Once in Congress, ASEAN will push for the interests of Students, Out-of-School Youth, Educators, Parents, OFWs and Professionals.
2. Ang Misyon ng ASEAN Party-list: #IsangPropesyonalSaBawatPamilya
Sadyang #PagaaralAngSusi
3. #ASEANPartylist Platform:
Access to Education; Adopt-A-Student Act, Faster and Cheaper Internet, Free WiFi in Schools;
Scholarships, Subsidies & Support for Reviewees, Students & Educators, Salary Upgrades for Educators;
Employment, Entrepreneurship, Ease of Doing Business, OFWs Reintegration, Enhanced TESDA, all for Economic Development;
Anti-Corruption, Anti-Red Tape, Pro-ASEAN Integration, Amend CPD, Accountability in Gov’t Service; for
Nation-Building. Nominees are CPA-Deans, Educators, Book Authors, Practitioners and HR Professional.
4. Nominees and Qualifications:
The Chairman and 1st Nominee is WIN BALLADA. He is CPA Board 2nd Placer (May 1994 CPALE), Auditor, Textbook Author, husband and father to three beautiful children.
Our Nominees are all Educators, as follows: Prof. Winifred L. Ballada, CPA, MBA; Dr. Roberto D. Gonzales, CPA; Dr. Christopher Biore, CPA; Leo S. Gellor, AB and Dean Rey Fernan G. Refozar, CPA, MBA. Nominees are CPA-Deans, Educators, Book Authors, Practitioners and HR Professional.
Prof. WIN Ballada, CPA, CBE, MBA
Top 2, CPA Board | Scholar
#MadeEasy Book Author | Academician
Dr. Roberto Gonzales, CPA, MBA
Dean | Controller | Management Accountant
Dr. Christopher Biore, CPA, MBA
Dean | Advocacy Projects Mentor | Book Author
Prof. Leo Gellor, AFPM
HR Consultant | Speaker | Mentor/Coach
Dr. Rey Fernan Refozar, CPA, MBA
Dean | Researcher | Educator
Karapat-dapat po kami sa Kamara dahil ang buhay namin ay inilaan na namin sa sektor ng Propesyonals at Youth (Students, OSYs). Malinis, mapagkakatiwalaan at may magagawangkabutihan para sa bayan. Besides, CPAs like us, are needed during the budget deliberations (discussions of the most important bill, the General Appropriations).
5. Stats, Issues, Concerns:
• 3M College Students
• 3.6M OSCY
• Education Spending: 3.4% of GDP vs. 6% UNESCO Benchmark
• Less than 11% of the population have College Degrees
• Faculty: Only 40% have Masters, Only 14% have PhDs or Doctorate Degrees
• PRC Boards: passing percentages for all course, 32% to 37% from 2015 to 2017.
• Mga Educators: mababang suweldo, contractuals.
• SY2018-2019 Budget for Free Higher Education (SUCs and LUCs), P16B; for Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) for Needy Students, P16B; for Tech-Voc Education and Training, P7B and for Student Loan Program, P1B; for a total of P40B.
• 1.3M students in SUCs and LUCs. Around 300,000 receiving TES.
6. Proposed Laws: will be explained below.
“Isang Propesyonal Sa Bawat Pamilya Act,” “The Professional Review Subsidy/Financing Program,” “The Free WiFi in Schools Act,” “The Enhanced Public Libraries Act,” “The OFW Reintegration Act,” “The OFW Cheaper Remittance Act,” “The Adopt-A-Student Act,” “Magna Carta for CPAs in Gov’t Service,” “The Out-of-School Youth (OSY) Malasakit Program,” “The National Career Measurement and Scholarship System Act,” “The National Certification Inclusion Act,” “The HEI Educators Salary Upgrade Act (in relation to NBC 461, higher entry levels for teaching professionals),” “The Educators Graduate Studies Scholarship Act,” “CPD Act of 2016 (R.A. 10912) Repeal/Amendment,” “Amendments to R.A. 8981 or The PRC Modernization Act,” “Amendments to R.A. 7796 or The TESDA Act,” “The Student Dormitory Rent Control Act,” “The Student Outreach Program Act,” “The Enhanced Museum Act,” “The Enhanced Corrections Education Act,” “Review of R.A 10533 (K-12), R.A. 10931/10687 (UAQTEA/UniFAST) Implementation” and other relevant laws.
7. Makakapag-aral ka Anak! Manalig ka. #ASEANpartylist'sProposed Laws - #IsangPropesyonalSaBawatPamilya Act:
"We, the Educators from #23ASEAN, will push for this law. We know how education changes lives. We need to identify "the poorest of the poor families" and for each family, "one or two children" will be nominated and given priority to enroll in a SUC or LUC. This student will be shepherded thru college to ensure graduation. No grade requirements, "character" is more important and the "sheer will and conviction to finish" so he can be of help to his family ASAP. We, Filipinos, love our family. This will help eradicate poverty "one family at a time." Access to Quality Education. Sadyang, #PagaaralAngSusi."
8. Pangarap ni Prof. #WINballada, CPA Board Topnotcher(2nd Placer)-Author, na makapag-REVIEW at magingPropesyonal kayo!
#ASEANpartylist's Proposed Laws - "The Professional Review Subsidy/Financing Program":
"Sayang naman kung di makakapag-review ang isanggraduate para sa #PRC #BoardExam (there are 43 #PRCBoard giving exams like #CPALE, #LET, #NLE, #Engineering, #Medicine, #Pharmacy, #Architecture, #RealEstateService, #CustomsBroker, #Criminology, #Librarian, and others) niya dahil kulang sa CASH. One step na lang ay Professional na siya. It is a 'terrible waste of human capital'. Ramdam namin kasi nasa ACADEME kami. Kaya dapat tulungan ang mga kagaya nila para makatulong din sila sa kani-kanilang pamilya. We, Filipinos, love our family. This will help eradicate poverty "one family at a time. Yan po ang Misyon: #IsangPropesyonalSaBawatPamilya. Sadyang, #PagaaralAngSusi. Also, with more qualified professionals, each of them will be able to contribute to national development.”
9. Build/Improve Public Libraries. Update Library Books. More Study and Training Areas for our Youth.
#PagaaralAngSusi for Youth and National Development
#ASEANpartylist's Proposed Laws - "Enhanced Public Libraries Act":
"Review Implementation of RA 7743 which was enacted into law in 1994. Ensure that LGUs have libraries attuned to the needs of the times by upgrading facilities and content. We, the Educators from #23ASEAN, believe that "studying is key to success and it is the greatest leveler." Let's make the public libraries conducive places of learning. If warranted, 24/7 operations in 145 cities and 322 1st class municipalities. The 2nd to 6th class municipalities should have their public libraries too. There are 1,489 municipalities nationwide. Let's build our nation by nurturing the minds of the youth. Dear Mr. President, isamapo ninyo sa Build, Build, Build."
10. Pangarap ng #ASEANpartylist's 1st Nominee, Prof. #WINballada, CPA Board Topnotcher (2nd Placer)-Author, na mapababa ang Remittance Costs ng mga OFWs!
#ASEANpartylist's Proposal - "The OFW Cheaper Remittance Act"
Once in Congress, #23ASEAN will initiate a "review of the #OFW remittance costs with the intent of helping our #OFWs save on their hard-earned money." Imagine, OFW remittances for 2018 was US$32.2 Billion! Any decrease in remittance costs when aggregated will be surely significant. According to BSP data, the bulk or "79% of cash remittances last year came from the US, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong.
Perang matitipid ng mga OFWs, dagdag pantustos sa Pag-aaral ng mga Anak at Kamag-anak. Yan po ang Misyon: #IsangPropesyonalSaBawatPamilya. Sadyang, #PagaaralAngSusi."
11. Other Laws Explained:
a. The Adopt-A-Student Act -- “Education is a right not a privilege,” Go Kim Pah, philanthropist and founder of Equitable Bank once said. His children to memorialize this statement established the Go Kim Pah Scholarship Grant in 1987. I’m one of the first ten (10) beneficiaries of this scholarship. Academically-gifted but underprivileged students can enjoy the benevolence of the private college grants. The government can do more to encourage these philanthropic activities.
Professionals, entrepreneurs and corporations can sponsor the tuition and school-related fees of college students in city, community, state colleges and state universities, and private colleges and universities then such donations/contributions may be made deductible as business expenses subject to limitations.
b. The OFW Reintegration Act -- Our modern day heroes should be afforded all the opportunities to engage in entrepreneurial activities to enable them to economically reintegrate. Subject to copyright issues, studies already done by Academicians and Students which are just gathering dust in the various school libraries will be mined and made available to OFWs. Student-OFW- Academician Partnerships (SOAP) will be formed. The SOAPs will be given access to cheaper credit.
c. The National Career Measurement and Scholarship System Act -- This a twin measure. A nationwide career measurement should be administered to help guide our junior high school students as to which career track in the K-to-12 System they are better suited. And, a national scholarship system in place to ensure that qualified HS graduates will be able to study in their preferred course.
Government shall consolidate all the scholarships being dispensed by the legislature, local governments (excluding the city or community colleges), national government agencies and instrumentalities including GOCCs into a national scholarship system for maximum benefit and to ensure that students who are academically qualified will be able to study without need for connections and patronage. A uniform system of qualifications shall be put into place.
d. The Educators Graduate Studies Scholarship Act -- Professionals who have been teaching in higher educational institutions (HEI) shall have greater access to government scholarships to finance their masteral and doctoral studies. Priority shall be given to those who have been teaching for several years already. May include subsidies for trainings related to professional development.
e. Amendments to Republic Act 8981 or the “The PRC Modernization Act of 2000” particularly the mandatory release of the actual test questions on an annual basis and the publication of the Top 25 placers (or Top 50 for those which tens of thousands of takers) instead of the usual Top 10. Also, Amendment/Repeal of the CPD Act of 2016. We will also revisit with the aim of improving the various regulatory laws; of course, in consultation of the respective professions, the PRC and other stakeholders.
f. The Student Dormitory Rent Control Act -- The government shall ensure that boarding houses, dormitories, rooms and bed spaces offered for rent to college students, are safe, affordable, clean and conducive to studies. The law shall establish a maximum allowable rent depending on the type and location of dwelling which shall be VAT-free.
g. The Student Outreach Program Act -- The government shall foster the formation of students to develop in them leadership, critical thinking, social awareness and spirit of volunteerism with the view of turning them into responsible and responsive Filipino youth.
h. The Enhanced Museum Act -- In every province, the government shall establish museums to highlight the historical and cultural treasures of the province. Revisit the law that created the National Museum and enhance it to cover provincial museums.
i. The Enhanced Corrections Education Act -- Government shall provide the inmates and detainees with increased educational opportunities to gain useful skills and knowledge for their future re-integration into the job market. The educators availing of the Educators Graduate Studies Scholarship Act shall be encouraged to render service in government HEIs.
12. Appeal from Prof. WIN Ballada:
“Salamat po sa pagkakataong ito! Bawat botante ay boboto ng isang Party-list group. 59 po ang PL Congressman na uupo na magmumula sa higit-kumulang na 46 to 48 PL groups. Mahirappo ang laban pero TIWALA po kami sa suporta ng mga naghahanap ng karapat-dapat na magsilbi, mga bagong dugo. Thanks to the 125,069 voters last 2016! Good causes take time to get propagated. To those who did not see us as their choice last May 9, if your 2016 choice failed your expectations, please consider us as your clean, principled and intelligent party-list bet for May 13, 2019.
EDUCATION IS THE GREATEST LEVELER. We should INVEST in Education.
Put people in Government with the RIGHT EDUCATION and with MORAL INTEGRITY.
I always exhort the students by saying: “When you have reached a certain level of success, then you should think about—sharing your time and talents to make a big difference in the lives of others. I cannot retire and not do something for my country and YOU, it’s selfish. To whom much is given, much is expected.”
We are all passersby and pilgrims on this road, we call LIFE.
We bring nothing when we die, but we leave behind—
The FAITH we have helped propagate, The LOVE we have shared,
The HOPE we have given, The KINDNESS we have extended to our brothers.
