ANGARA RETURNS TO AURORA FOR ITS 40TH FOUNDING ANNIVERSARY

Reelectionist Senator Sonny Angara returned to his home province of Aurora on Tuesday to join his provincemates in celebrating its 40th founding anniversary, which also marks the 131st birthday of former First Lady Doña Aurora Aragon-Quezon, after whom the province was named.

Angara, who is running under the platform "Alagang Angara," brought with him his fellow senatorial candidates endorsed by Hugpong ng Pagbabago, a regional political party chaired by presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

He also introduced the event's guest of honor, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III. Doña Aurora's last surviving daughter, Ms. Nini Quezon-Avanceña, and other members of the Quezon family were present at the event.

Addressing a crowd that gathered at the provincial capitol grounds in Baler, Angara honored the wife of former President Manuel L. Quezon for her remarkable legacy and contribution to the province and the entire country.

He said the selfless and outstanding service of Doña Aurora--founder of the Philippine Red Cross and an advocate of women's suffrage or right to vote--should be emulated by present and future generations.

"Kaya natin ipinagdiriwang ang pagtatag ng ating probinsya kasabay ng aniversaryo ng kapanganakan ni Doña Aurora, para tuluyan tayong kumuha ng inspirasyon sa kanyang mapag-arugang pagseserbisyo sa kapwa. Para hanggang ngayon, dama pa rin ang Alagang Doña Aurora," Angara said.

"Masasabi nga na hinulma sa ehemplo ng Alagang Doña Aurora ang Alagang Angara na sinimulan ng aking ama, si Senador Edgardo J. Angara at ipinagpatuloy ko sa Senado, ng aking tiyahin na si Rep. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, ng aking pinsan, si Vice Gov. Rommel Angara, at iba pang opisyales dito sa Aurora," he added.

The last time Angara went to Baler was during the funeral of the late Senator Edgardo Angara, on May 22 last year. His father died from an apparent heart attack while in Tagaytay City. He was 83.

Senator Angara chairs the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, the political party once led by his father, who was behind landmark legislation that created the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Free College High School Act, the Senior Citizens Act, and the National Health Insurance Act that created the PhilHealth.

Since becoming a legislator in 2004, first as representative of the lone district of Aurora and later as senator in 2013, the younger Angara pushed for 173 national and local laws, and vowed to continue his legislative agenda of helping every member of the family if voters return him to the Senate.

Among his notable legislation are the free kindergarten and college laws; VAT-exemption for senior citizens and persons with disability; free medical check-up, laboratory tests and some medicines under PhilHealth; year-round student fare discount; establishment of the Expanded Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in every local government unit to assist people seeking employment; tax exemption of "balikbayan" boxes of overseas Filipino workers; and the scrapping of the 12-percent VAT on maintenance medicines for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.