Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aguirre Aquino IV (Tagalog pronunciation: [bɛˈnignoʔ aˈɡirɛ aˈkino], born May 7, 1977) is a Filipino politician and social entrepreneur who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2013 to 2019. He is a member of the prominent Aquino family.

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Quick Facts The Honorable, Deputy Senate Minority Leader ...

The Honorable Bam Aquino
Aquino in 2018
Deputy Senate Minority Leader
In office February 27, 2017 – June 30, 2019
Leader	Franklin Drilon
Senator of the Philippines
In office June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2019
Chair of the Senate Science and Technology Committee
In office July 25, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Preceded by	Ralph Recto
Succeeded by	Nancy Binay
Chair of the Senate Education, Arts and Culture Committee
In office July 25, 2016 – February 27, 2017
Preceded by	Pia Cayetano
Succeeded by	Francis Escudero
Chair of the Senate Trade and Commerce Committee
In office July 22, 2013 – June 30, 2016
Preceded by	Manny Villar
Succeeded by	Migz Zubiri (as Chair of the Senate Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship Committee)
Chairman of the National Youth Commission
In office 2003 – February 26, 2006
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded by	Mabel Villarica Mamba
Succeeded by	Richard Alvin Nalupta
Commissioner of the National Youth Commission
In office 2001–2003
Personal details
Born	Paolo Benigno Aguirre Aquino IV (1977-05-07) May 7, 1977 (age 47) Manila, Philippines
Political party	KANP (2024–present)
Other political affiliations	Liberal (until 2024)
Spouse	Mary Fatima Gomez
Relations	See Aquino family
Children	2
Residence	Quezon City
Alma mater	Ateneo de Manila University (BS)
Occupation	Politician, social entrepreneur

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He took Bachelor of Science in Management Engineering at Ateneo de Manila University.

Aquino was also one of the hosts of the morning TV show Breakfast, a youth-oriented talk show on Studio 23. In 2006, Aquino hosted the youth-oriented debate show Y Speak, also on Studio 23.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, Aquino played the role of his uncle Ninoy Aquino, in the documentary film, The Last Journey of Ninoy. The film premiered on August 21, 2009, in commemoration of the 26th anniversary of the assassination of Ninoy.^[1]

Before becoming a senator, Aquino became the President of MicroVentures, Inc., a social enterprise company that manages the Hapinoy Program which provides micro-financing, training and access to new business opportunities for women micro-entrepreneurs.^[2][3] For his efforts, Aquino was named as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines in the category of Social Enterprise and Community Development. He was also chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World in 2012.^[2][3]

He was also a Board Member of Rags2Riches, Venture for Fundraising, and the Coca-Cola Foundation.^[2][3]

Running under the Team PNoy coalition of his cousin, President Benigno Aquino III, he won in the 2013 elections and placed 7th with 15,388,992 votes.^[4] As Senator, Aquino chaired the Committee on Science and Technology from 2016 to 2019. He was also a member of the following committees:

• Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon)^[5]
• Committee on Agriculture and Food^[5]
• Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies^[5]
• Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization^[5]
• Committee on Cooperatives^[5]
• Committee on Cultural Communities^[5]
• Committee on Education, Arts and Culture
• Committee on Energy^[5]
• Committee on Environment and Natural Resources
• Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports^[5]
• Committee on Health and Demography
• Committee on Local Government
• Committee on National Defense and Security
• Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation
• Committee on Public Information and Mass Media^[5]
• Committee on Rules
• Committee on Science and Technology
• Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development^[5]
• Committee on Ways and Means
• Senate Electoral Tribunal^[2]

He was the former chairman of the Committee on Education Culture and Arts from July 2016 until his removal from the position in February 2017 due to his opposition to legislation backed by President Rodrigo Duterte.^[6] He was chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship and Committee on Youth from July 2013 to June 2016.

Aquino passed more than 40 laws during his first five and half years in office.^[5][7]

• Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
• Republic Act No. 10929, or Free Internet Access in Public Space
• Republic Act No. 10693, or Microfinance NGOs Act
• Republic Act No. 10911, or Anti Age-Discrimination Act
• Republic Act No. 10821, or Children's Emergency Relief and Protection Act
• Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)
• Republic Act No. 10909, or No Shortchanging Act
• Republic Act No. 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act
• Republic Act No. 10642, or the Philippine Lemon Law
• Republic Act No. 10667, or the Philippine Competition Act
• Republic Act No. 10668, or the Foreign Ships Co-Loading Act
• Republic Act No. 10679, or the Youth Entrepreneurship Act
• Republic Act No. 10742, or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act
• Republic Act No. 10693, or the Microfinance NGOs Act
• Republic Act No. 10744, or the Credit Surety Fund Act of 2014
• Republic Act No. 10756, or the Election Service Reform Act of 2014
• Republic Act No. 10755, or the Act Authorizing the Punong Barangay to Administer the Oath of Office
• Republic Act No. 10844, or the Department of Information and Communication Technology Act of 2015
• Republic Act No. 10754, or the Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability
• Republic Act No. 10905, or Closed Caption Broadcasting of Television Programs Act
• Republic Act No. 11054, or the Bangsamoro Organic Law
• Republic Act No. 11106, or the Filipino Sign Language Act

Aquino ran for re-election as senator as one of the Otso Diretso candidates. He failed to win his re-election bid, placing 14th overall with 14,144,923 votes, the highest among any Otso Diretso candidate.^[8] Aquino was quoted that "There are 14 million people who voted for an Aquino during the time of Duterte. That's something."^[9] According to his wife, he might return to his social entrepreneurship initiatives after his term ended on June 30, 2019.^[10]

On July 19, 2019, the PNP–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges against Aquino and other members of the opposition for "sedition, cyber libel, libel, estafa, harboring a criminal, and obstruction of justice".^[11][12] On February 10, 2020, he was cleared of all charges.^[13][14]

Bam Aquino was born on May 7, 1977 in Manila to Paul Aquino, a son of Benigno Aquino Sr., and Melanie (née Aguirre) Aquino.

His grandfather, Benigno Sr., served as a congressman from Tarlac's 2nd District (1919–28), a senator from the 3rd District (1928–34), and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Japanese-puppet state of the Philippines from 1943 to 1944. He on trial for Treason after World War II for collaborating with the Japanese, and eventually became the 6th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (1943–44).

Under President Ferdinand Marcos' regime, his uncle Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., a former senator (1967–72), was exiled in the United States from 1980 until 1983 when he returned to the Philippines and was assassinated at Manila International Airport.^[19][20]

In 1986, Marcos fled into exile and Ninoy's wife, Corazon Aquino, became the first female President of the Philippines. His uncle Butz and aunt Teresa also served as senators. His cousin, Benigno Aquino III, was elected the 15th President of the Philippines in 2010, which he served until 2016.^[21]

He is married to Maria Fatima Gomez. They have two daughters.^[22]