ANGARA PROUD TO CARRY ON FATHER'S LEGACY

Senator Sonny Angara on Monday renewed his vow to carry on the legacy of his father, the late Senate President Edgardo Angara, as he remembered him on his 84th birth anniversary.

"My dad would have been 84 on September 24. He's no longer with us but his legacy lives on," Angara said.

Angara said he was proud to carry forward his father's legacy of public service and advocacies, particularly in the fields of education and health.

"My dad has always been my biggest role model. He had a great career as a public servant, so I am trying to carry on that legacy," the senator said.

Like his father, Angara believes that education is the great equalizer and a powerful tool to break the cycle of poverty.

He recalled how his father championed education to give everyone in the country a fighting chance to succeed.

Since he became a legislator, Angara has been trying to emulate his father by advancing legislative measures that harness the power of education to change lives.

The latest among these measures is his pet bill which seeks to grant student discount on fare, books, school supplies, food, and other school expenses.

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 other needs.

Angara admitted it would be difficult to match, let alone surpass the achievements of his father, especially his ability to create institutions.

The least he could do, he said, was to ensure these institutions his father had built will last and continue to serve their purpose.

"Alam kong mahirap pantayan ang nagawa ng aking ama lalo na ang paglikha nya ng mga institusyon na nagdulot ng malaking benepisyo sa mga Pilipino. Ipinapangako ko na patuloy kong babantayan at papatatagin ang mga institusyong ito para patuloy nitong pagsilbihan ang ating mga kababayan," Angara said.

During his term as lawmaker, the older Angara was responsible for laws that created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), and the National Center for Culture and the Arts (NCAA).

He also authored the Senior Citizens Act, Free High School Act, and the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE)--touted as the biggest scholarship program of the government.

Following in his father's footsteps, Angara--a three-term congressman and first-term senator--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 for all Filipinos.