.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.jpg)
.JPG)
.jpg)
| Sen. Edgardo Angara (Guest Speaker - 03/26/2010 |
|
Sen. Edgardo J.
 AngaraEd Angara was born on September 24, 1934, in Baler, Aurora. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines where he was a consistent scholar. He obtained his Master of Law as Dewitt Fellow at the University of Michigan. He is a life member of two international honor societies, the Phi Kappa and Phi Gamma Mu. In 1971, Angara founded with several law classmates the ACCRA law offices, today one of the most prestigious law firm in the Philippines.He subsequently headed the three biggest and most respected law associations in the country – the International Bar of the Philippines, the Philippine Bar Association and the UP Law Alumni Association which remains to be the only regional law association in the world.
The University of the Philippines gave him the most distinguished
Alumnus Award in 1981. The UP College of Law also conferred on him its
Highest Professional Award. That same year, he was elected president
of the university.
A conscientious lawmaker and an indefatigable worker, Edgardo Angara’s public life started when he helped draft the 1973 Constitution, authoring landmark constitutional provisions such as the Democratization of Ownership of Public Utilities and the protection of Public Domain from Undue Exploitation by Developers. He was the lead proponent of the Free High School Act, the Subsidy to Private Education, the Law Defining the Powers of the Ombudsman, the Magna Carta for Health Workers, the Breastfeeding Law, the Establishment of the National Integrated Protected Areas System, the laws granting incentives and special privileges to Senior Citizens; Small Farmers; and Campus Journalists. As a Senate Chief, from 1993 to 1995, Angara, with his aggressive and consensus-building approach, rallied the chamber to pass bills and resolutions for an Executive-Legislative cooperation in economic reforms, which resulted in the Economic Summit of August 1993. It was likewise during his term that the Senate adopted a policy to reimpose the death penalty for heinous crimes and saw the ratification of the “ Earth Summit “ treaty, along with five pro-environment treaties, many of which have already been enacted into law. He was awarded the Most Outstanding Alumnus for Legislation by the UP College of Law for his “ enlightened leadership “ of the Senate as it enacts legislations to improve the quality of life of the Filipinos and for his devotion to the concerns of education, law and justice, labor, family, arts and culture, environment and health care.
He authored the Free High School Act that ensured secondary education even for the poorest; the Senior Citizens Act (or The Angara Law) that allowed the elderly to avail of substantial discounts when buying medicine or riding public transport; the National Health Insurance Act, or PHILHEALTH, that provided insurance to every citizen; and the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE), the biggest scholarship program.
Under his Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), farmers and fisher folk benefited from improved seeds and plant materials, better irrigation, better financing and market access. He authored the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers and was the principal author of the laws that created the new National Museum and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. As Philippine National Bank chairman (1998-1999), he made the bank a major player in the domestic financial market. During his term as Secretary of Agriculture (1999-2001), he had the opportunity to implement his own creation, AFMA. He oversaw an improvement of food production programs and support services that led to a bigger harvest of rice, a development that underscored the drive to attain food security. Overall, the agricultural sector saw a growth rate of 3.6 percent a year since 2000, compared with a 1.2 percent growth over the past two decades. He served as executive secretary (2001), albeit briefly, during the presidency of Joseph Estrada, and oversaw the peaceful transition of power after the second people power revolution. A recipient of the Commandeur dans l'ordre des Palmes citation from France, Angara has been a director of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption since 2002. As a further testament to his international experience, he was elected in 2005 as charter president of the Southeast Asia Parliamentarians Against Corruption. Not coincidentally, Angara was the author of the Procurement Reform Act, the biggest anti-corruption law in Philippine history, as well as the father of the Ombudsman Law. Angara's record shows an anthology of feats and achievements. Last Congress, he pushed for the creation of the Congressional Commission on Science, Techonology and Engineering Research and Development. COMSTE will study the root of the country's waning competitiveness and lay down the grounds for improvement and innovation. This 14th Congress, he serves as chairman of the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Food; Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies; and Science and Technology. Today, he is overseeing a number of important legislative measures. Under social services, he filed the Senior Citizens Financial Assistance Act that will provide a monthly pension and loan to poor senior citizens; Child Nutrition Act of the Philippines that will institutionalize the School Feeding Program throughout public elementary schools in the country; Child Health Insurance Program to cater to the health needs of children from poor families; and the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) which will supplement the existing government-sponsored pension scheme by setting up a privately funded retirement fund. Among the education bills are the Students Loans and Grants Program Act that aims to institutionalize loans and grants to students. Financial reform through pioneering laws like the Real Estate Investment Act, Credit Information Bureau Systems Act and Corporate Recovery Act are on the Senator's agenda, as well as laws on cultural heritage and environmental protection. As Nick Joaquin, the Grand Old Man of Philippine Literature and the greatest Filipino writer of the 20th century wrote, "If clothes make the man, laws make the solon, for his product describes the lawmaker." On that rule it can be said of Senator Edgardo Angara that he has range and relevance: his attention is wide-ranging, his relevance instantaneous. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
RCBM Secretariat
Rm. 305 Grace Tower Condominium#524 Lavezares Street, Binondo, Manila
Tel #: 4743055 - 3537535
Fax #: 3537535
Mobile # : 0922-8953667
E-mail : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
RC Bagumbayan-Manila meets every Friday, 6:30 pm at
Hyatt Casino & Hotel, 1588 Pedro Gil cor M.H. Del Pilar Sts.,
Malate, Manila, Philippines
Multiply Website: http://rcbagumbayan.multiply.com
RCBM President
Pres. Juanito "boy" Kaw
RCBM Photos
ANNIVERSARIES
12 - Dir. Ian &
Ann Maita Tong
14 - Rtn. Nelson &
Ann Caroline Cheng
15 - Rtn. Romeo &
Ann Teresita Mascardo
15 - Rtn. James &
Ann Charito Lim
26 - Rtn. Richard &
Ann Clair Anne Esteban
27 - Rtn. Oswald &
Ann Pia Dela Cruz
BIRTHDAYS
SEPTEMBER
4 - Ann Emma Tan
8 - Ann Maita Tong
11 - PP Ricky Lee
11 - Ann Arlene Koa
13 - Ann Marilyn Loa
15 - Rtn. Nelson Ang
17 - PP Vic Marquez
17 - Rtn. Jun Tan
19 - Ann Charito Lim
22 - Rtn. Nelson Chan
22 - Ann Fely Ang
23 - Ann Hayley Go
24 - Ann Glennys Que
25 - Rtn. Ricky Ty
26 - Rtn. Willy Lim
26 - Ann Verdy Enriquez
27 - Ann Shirley Kaw
28 - Ann Nancy Chan