Sen. Bam Aquino is a former social entrepreneur turned senator that continues to support Filipino entrepreneurs and the development of micro, small and medium enterprises or MSMEs.

Thanks to his first law – the Go Negosyo Act – there are over 580 Negosyo Centers across the Philippines providing training and mentorship, market linkage, and access to financing for Filipinos who wish to build a successful business.

He has also passed laws that bridge the gap between local MSMEs and access to financing and is working on the passage of the Innovative Start-up Law to incentivize tech startups and social enterprises in the Philippines.

He has been hailed by some as one of the most productive and hardworking senators – now with nineteen (19) laws passed in just four (4) years.

Just recently, a revolutionary reform principally sponsored by Sen. Bam in the Senate – the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act – was signed into law, making college education free in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), and TESDA-run Tech-Voc Institutions (TVIs).

Magiging libre na po ang kolehiyo para sa milyon milyong estudyante sa mga SUCs, LUCs at TVIs!

Even with all his accomplishments, Sen. Bam continues to work to improve the lives of Filipino families through entrepreneurship, employment, and education.

And even in the most trying times, Sen. Bam stays true to his hopeful brand of politics, believing that every Filipino can overcome poverty with the right support and opportunities.

CURRICULUM VITAE 

SENATOR, Senate of the Republic of the Philippines
(July 2016 – Present)
Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology

(July 2016- February 2017)
Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Culture and Arts

(July 2013 – June 2016)
Chairman, Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship
Chairman, Senate Committee on Youth

PRESIDENT, MicroVentures Foundation 
(April 2012 – May 2013)

PRESIDENT, MicroVentures Incorporated 
(June 2007 – April 2012)
Microventures, Inc. is a social enterprise that engages in poverty alleviation through business development for the poor. It currently runs the internationally awarded Hapinoy Program with thousands of women micro entrepreneur members in the Philippine countryside.

PRESIDENT, TAYO Foundation 
(March 2006 – February 2013)
The TAYO Foundation oversees the yearly search for the most outstanding youth organizations in the Philippines.

HOST, Start-Up, ABS-CBN News Channel 
(November 2008 – August 2009)
Start-Up is a show for budding entrepreneurs on the Philippines’ premier news channel.

EDITOR, Young Southeast Asia
Young Southeast Asia is the ASEAN’s 40th Anniversary book that focuses on young achievers in the region. (Published December 2007)

PRESIDENT, Megamobile, Inc. 
(September 2006 – February 2008)
Megamobile, Inc. is a mobile solutions provider for small and medium enterprises.

MANAGING DIRECTOR, Microventures, Inc.
(January 2007 – May 2007)

CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
National Youth Commission
(February 2003 – February 2006)

COMMISSIONER-AT-LARGE, National Youth Commission
(May 2001 – January 2003)
The National Youth Commission is the chief youth policy-making arm of the Philippine government.

HOST, SME Go! Powered by GoNegosyo, GMA News TV 
(2012)
SME Go! is a television show that features stories of inspiring and successful small and medium entrepreneurs in the Philippines.

HOST, Yspeak, Studio 23, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network 
(July 2006 – February 2007)
Yspeak is a youth-oriented debate show on national television.

HOST, Breakfast, Studio 23, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network
(April 2001 – July 2006)
Breakfast at Studio 23 is a youth-oriented morning talk show on national television.

SPECIAL PROJECTS GROUP, ABS-CBN Foundation 
(May 1999 to May 2000)
Was involved with rehabilitation centers for abused and neglected children, disaster management and relief operations, and volunteer recruitment

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Executive Education Program on Public Policy and Leadership
(December 2008)

Ateneo de Manila Law School
(SY 2000 – 2001)

Ateneo de Manila University
Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering,
(1995 – 1999)
Graduated class valedictorian with summa cum laude honors

Ateneo de Manila High School 
(1991 – 1995)
Graduated class valedictorian with first honors

Ateneo de Manila Grade School
(1983 – 1991)
Delivered valedictory speech and graduated with first honors

SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENTS, AWARDS, ACTIVITIES & PROGRAMS ATTENDED

Panelist, “Changing the Game: Innovating Smartly in Organizations and Systems”; Panelist, “Cracking the Emerging Market Code”
World Economic Forum (2014)
Davos, Switzerland

Manila 40 Under 40 Global Development Leader, 2013
Awarded by Devex

Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World Awardee, 2012
Awarded by theJunior Chamber International

Panelist, “Learning from the Frontier”, 2012
World Economic Forum
Davos, Switzerland

Social Entrepreneur of the Year Co-Awardee, 2011
Asia Category
Awarded by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs

Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines, 2010
Social Enterprise and Community Development Category
Awarded by the Philippine Jaycees

Co-Finalist, Ernst and Young, 2010 
Entrepreneur of the Year

PLDT Bossing Co-Awardee, 2010 
Retail Financing Category Awarded by PLDT

GoNegosyo Inspiring Young Entrepreneur, 2010
Awarded by GoNegosyo

Member of the Board, Coca-Cola Foundation
(September 2007 – May 2013)

Member of the Board, Rags2Riches, Inc.
(September 2007 – May 2013)

Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum, Canada
(June 2006 – present)
A distinction awarded by the World Economic Forum to young achievers from different countries

Member, Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders Forum, Hong Kong, China 
(February 2006 – present)
A forum on various topics affecting the region, composed of young leaders from Asia and the United States

Member of the Board of Trustees, Venture for Fund Raising
(2002 – May 2013)
A Manila-based non-profit engaged in capability and resource-building education for NGOs in the Asian region

Ambassador, Haribon Foundation
(March 2004 to 2006)

Chairman, ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Youth
Manila, Philippines (August 2003)

Spokesperson, The Children’s Hour
(2002 to 2004)
An initiative to raise resources for poor children through personal and institutional donations

President, Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral
University student council of the Ateneo de Manila University
(1998 – 1999)

Jose Rizal Most Outstanding Model Student of the Philippines (1999)

Merit Top Ten College Co-eds (1999)

Founding Member and Constitutional Chairman,
National Union of Catholic Student Councils
An association of student councils and governments of various Catholic universities and colleges in the Philippines (October 1998)