Press Release
May 22, 2018

ANGARA VOWS TO CONTINUE FATHER'S LEGACY

Senator Sonny Angara vowed to continue the advocacies of his late father, former Senate President Edgardo Angara, particularly in the field of education and health to be able help a wide segment of the society needing government support.

"I am truly proud of my father's achievements and it is very important that his legacy continues," Angara said.

The lawmaker said he will carry on his father's legacy in championing education and creating opportunities for every Filipino.

"My father was a true champion of the people's right to education and all his advocacies as a politician and educator are all worth pursuing," he said.

The elder Angara was laid to rest this morning at his residence in Barangay Reserva, Baler, Aurora.

Angara was glad he and his father shared the same view that "education is the great socioeconomic equalizer and a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty."

"That is why we are pushing for a passage of a bill that would institutionalize the grant of student fare discounts in land, air and sea transport even on weekends, holidays and semestral breaks," the senator said.

According to Angara, if passed into law, such measure would be a big help because the money that will be saved from the discounts can be diverted by the family to equally important things.

As a lawmaker, the older Angara also pushed for laws that created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

He also authored the Free High School Act, which ensured secondary education to serve especially the poorest, and the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE)--touted as the biggest scholarship program of the government.

Among his landmark measures were the Senior Citizens Act, the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers and the National Health Insurance Act that created the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth.

As a three-term congressman and first-term senator, the younger Angara pushed for laws to widen access to education through the passage of the Free College Law and the Unified Student Financial Assistance System Act (UNIFAST) to ensure that scholarships go to poor and deserving students.

At present, he is vigorously pushing the expansion of the Universal Healthcare Law to cover free check-ups and laboratory tests.

"Isa marahil ito sa mga bibigyan natin ng ibayong pagtututok. Matutuwa ang aking ama sakaling mapalawak itong philhealth coverage sapagkat siya po ang nag akda ng batas na lumikha rito," Angara said.

News Latest News Feed