Senator-elect Bam Aquino said on Friday that he will immediately file bills to improve education and employment sectors once the Senate resumes session on July 1.
Aquino said this during the sidelines of his oath-taking ceremony in Concepcion, Tarlac on Friday, May 30.
Aquino said he is committed to fulfill his campaign promises.
These include free tertiary education and job-matching programs for the youth.
“Ang uunahin talaga natin ay ‘yung atin campaign promises revolving around education and employment. Tumakbo tayo under the banner na ‘Libreng kolehiyo, siguradong trabaho’ kaya ‘yun ang gagawin natin,” Aquino said.
He added that among the programs he plans to initiate is a reform agenda for the education sector to address the "growing crisis."
He also cited the importance of aligning educational courses with available job opportunities to prepare students for the workforce.
“Mahalaga na mapondohan ang mga eskwelahan, mahalaga na ‘yung mga reporma sa edukasyon sinisimulan, at mahalaga na ‘yung mga kabataan natin nakakakuha ng trabaho na bagay sa kanilang pinag-aralan,” Aquino said.
The senator-elect also described his decision to take his oath of office in Concepcion as a symbolic homecoming.
Aquino, a resident of Barangay San Jose, emerged as the top senatorial candidate in Concepcion, Tarlac, garnering 71,717 votes.
“Wala naman akong ibang naisip na lugar kundi ang Concepcion. Gusto natin bumalik sa Tarlac hindi lang ngayon, kundi sa marami pang panahon na may dalang programa,” Aquino said.
The oath-taking of Aquino was facilitated by reelected Concepcion Mayor Noel Villanueva.
The mayor said he is confident that Aquino will champion the interests of Tarlaqueños.
“‘Yung ibang pangangailangan ng bayan, baka pwedeng idaing sa kanya. Pero ako, naiintindihan ko na uunahin ‘yung national interest at secondary na rin ‘yung parochial. Ganun pa man, buo ang suporta natin sa ating kababayan,” Villanueva said.