Rep. Kaka Bag-ao's Explanation of Vote on the Death Penalty

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Delivered after the voting on Third and Final Reading, 07 March 2017.

Mr. Speaker, my dear colleagues—I vote NO to the proposal to reinstate the death penalty based on our fundamental values anchored on social justice and human rights and dignity.

Ang urong-sulong na pagtanggal ng mga krimen na nasasakop sa parusang bitay, tulad ng rape, plunder, at murder, ay indikasyon na wala talagang sapat na pamantayan para sa “compelling reason” at “heinousness” na isanasaad na kondisyon ng Korte Suprema para sa pagbalik ng parusang bitay. Ang pamantayan lang ngayon ay kung ano ang utos ng mayorya.

Rep. Kaka Bag-ao on the DENR Order on Mining Operations

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Sa usapin ng pagmimina, ang mahalagang dapat nating tiyakin ay ang pagprotekta sa kalikasan, partikular na ang mga watershed, at ang pagpapaunlad sa tao at sa kanilang mga komunidad. 

Ngayong may mga ipinatitigil ang DENR na mining operations sa aming lalawigan, ang Dinagat Islands, kailangan ding aktibong singilin ang Kagawaran upang maihain at maipatupad ang mga ipinapanukala nilang alternatibong kabuhayan para hindi mawalan ng pagkakataon ang mga Dinagatnon na paunlarin ang kanilang mga pamilya't pamayanan. 

Kasabay nito, para sa mga kumpanyang nagmimina na nakapasa sa audit ng DENR, kailangang tiyakin na hindi lamang sila susunod sa environmental standards, kundi hihigitan pa nila ang kanilang performance. Patuloy rin dapat nilang tulungan ang mga mamamayan habang kumikilos sa paraang hindi makakasira ng aming kalikasan. 

Mahalaga ring balikan ang batas upang mas mapaigting pa ang mga pamantayang kailangang sundin ng mining firms upang siguraduhing sila ay gumagalaw na may pagpapahalaga sa tao at sa kapaligiran. Sama-sama nating itulak ang pagpapasa sa panukalang Philippine Mineral Resources Act sa Kongreso. 

Patuloy tayong magiging katuwang ng pamahalaan upang mapagkaisa ang lahat sa layuning i-angat ang buhay at kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan.

—Congresswoman Kaka Bag-ao (Lone District, Dinagat Islands)

The Dinagat Islands Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

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DOWNLOAD the Dinagat Islands Anti-Discrimination Ordinance:

 http://bit.ly/DinagatIslands_AntiDiscrimination

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Dinagat Islands​ has recently approved an ordinance promoting and protecting the rights and dignity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons and providing for a comprehensive policy against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) in the province.

Sponsorship Speech for the On-Site, In-City, or Near-City Resettlement Bill

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Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao’s sponsorship speech for House Bill No. 3936 (On-Site, In-City, or Near-City Resettlement Bill), which was approved on 07 November 2016 by the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development. 

People’s participation in the provision of sustainable housing is one of the legacies of former DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. His vision, which established a different lens in the implementation of socialized housing projects paved the way for the birth of the Oplan LIKAS Program (Lipat para Iwas Kalamidad At Sakit). Oplan LIKAS was executed pursuant to a 16-point “Social Contract with the Filipino People” of the previous administration which sought “inclusive urban development where people of varying income levels are integrated in productive, healthy, and safe communities.” The program aimed to provide safe, affordable and decent, permanent housing solutions to Informal Settler Families (ISFs) living in danger zones by relocating the affected families in on-site, near-city, and in-city relocation sites in accordance with a “People’s Plan” forwarded by these ISFs. This government program serves as the springboard for the proposed bill.

Paliwanag ng mga Boto nina Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao at Batanes Rep. Dina Abad laban sa Con-Ass

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19 October 2016 - House Committee on Constitutional Amendments Hearing

DINAGAT ISLANDS REP. KAKA BAG-AO: Con-Con as a Democratic and Pro-People Approach for Constitutional Reform

This Administration has called for the institutionalization of Federalism as the answer to the age-old problem of wealth distribution especially in the country-side, and the peace and order problem in Mindanao. Such pronouncement has opened the debates on Constitutional reform and the preferred mode of change: Constitutional Convention or Constitutional Assembly.  

However, before the debates on the preferred mode of constitutional change, the Committee should determine first if there is indeed a necessity to change the present Constitution. Unfortunately, there has been no sufficient discussion on the matter. If the Committee, after deliberation, affirms the necessity for such a change, then we can proceed to the next step—the mode of constitutional change.

I am a Mindanaoan, an advocate of federalism and shift to parliamentary form of government. These advocacies, I believe, will address the fundamental and structural weaknesses of our political system that has resulted in the skewed development of our country. I know that constitutional change is an imperative for both of these advocacies. 

Sponsorship Speech for the First Committee Hearing on the Anti-Discrimination Bill

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17 October 2016 - Committee on Women and Gender Equality hearing on House Bill No. 51 (Anti-Discrimination Bill), which was the first measure that Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao filed in the 17th Congress. 

Good afternoon, Madam Chair, fellow legislators, and guests.

Ako po si Kaka Bag-ao. Sa araw ng pagbubukas ng 15th Congress sa aking unang termino noong 2010, inihain ko ang Anti-Discrimination Bill. Matagal na itong ipinapanukala, noong panahon pa nina Akbayan Representative Etta Rosales, labing-pitong taon na ang nakararaan. Napakatagal na panahon na. Sa pagitan noong panahon na iyon at ngayon, patuloy ang diskriminasyon laban sa mga ating mga kapwa Pilipino at mamamayan, na nagkataon lamang ay iba sa inyo—ang mga Pilipinong lesbian, gay, bisexual, at transgender o LGBT. 

#EqualityChamps convene for the Anti-Discrimination Bill

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Today, legislators of the 17th Congress, dubbed as the #EqualityChamps, met with advocates from various civil society organizations to discuss the renewed campaign for the enactment of the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which seeks to prohibit discrimination against citizens on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Present were authors and co-authors of the measure—Senator Risa Hontiveros, Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Batanes Rep. Henedina Abad, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, Pangasinan Rep. Toff de Venecia, and An Waray Party-List Rep. Victoria Noel. Joining them were advocacy groups that have assisted legislators in past Congresses in fighting for the bill in committee debates; they include the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network (LAGABLAB), TLF-SHARE, Babaylanes, Inc., UP Babaylan, GALANG, Akbayan LGBT Collective, Dangal Pilipinas, Amnesty International, Assocition of Transgender People in the Philippines (ATP), OutRight Action International, and Rainbow Rights. Commissioner Perci Cendaña of the National Youth Commission (NYC) facilitated the discussion.

Oath-Taking Speech of Congresswoman Kaka Bag-ao

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Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao delivered this speech after her taking her oath of office, which was administered by Senator Risa Hontiveros, on July 3, 2016 in the Municipality of Cagdianao.

Mga minahal kong mga Dinagatnon, mga panauhin at mga kasama sa pamahalaan at sa civil society, magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.

Unang-una una nais ko pang magpasalamat sa bawat isa sa inyo sa inyong pagbibigay ng panahon para samahan kami sa araw na ito. Sinimulan ko po dito sa Dinagat ang tradisyon ng aking panunumpa sa katungkulan sa aking kaarawan. Ito po ay sadya dahil nais ko pong ipaalala sa aking sarili taun-taon ang aking panunumpa na manilbihan sa kapwa at sa bayan ng buong katapatan. Nais ko pong ipaalala sa sarili ko na ang aking panunungkulan ay hindi lamang simpleng trabaho kung hindi ito ay isang misyong panghabambuhay. Kaya po ako ay lubusang nagpapasalamat sa inyong pagsaksi sa araw na ito sa aking muling pagtataya sa isang habambuhay na paglalakbay.