Senate honors former Senator Ramon Revilla, Sr. in
solemn necrological rites

The Senate of the Philippines on Wednesday honored former Senator Ramon B. Revilla, Sr. in solemn necrological rites which commemorated his life and service to the institution as a veteran legislator.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, together with incumbent senators, presented Resolution No. 459 expressing the profound sympathies and sincere condolences of the Senate of the Philippines on the death of the former senator to his family, led by Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr., Antipolo City Mayor Andrea Bautista-Ynares, and Cavite Second District Representative Strike Revilla.

Revilla, Sr., who garnered the second highest number of votes during the 1992 senatorial elections, authored landmark laws that will serve as his legacy to the Filipino people until his term ended in 2004.

He authored the "Revilla Law" which authorizes illegitimate children to use the surname of their father if the latter expresses affiliation through birth certificate, civil registry, public documents or any hand-written instrument. He was also known as the "Father of Public Works Act" as the author of R.A. 8150. He also introduced amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Act (R.A. 6425) to plug loopholes often used by violators to escape harsh punishment, and R.A. 8294 aiming to amend the country's law against illegal possession of firearms.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Motion Pictures and Television in the 10th and 11th Congresses, Revilla, Sr. exerted his fullest effort to advance the welfare of the local entertainment industry, and by ensuring that violence and sex will be eliminated on television since 15 % or three hours of their airtime will devoted to children's shows.

He also created a law entitling athletes who brought honor to the country to a lifetime pension, as well as automatic promotion and salary/benefits for retiring public school teachers.

Sen. Revilla, Sr.'s colleagues which include Former Presidents Joseph Ejercito-Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, former Senators Jose Lina and Robert Jaworski, former Senator and incumbent Deputy House Speaker Loren Legarda, and Senator Richard Gordon shared their respective memories of him as a fellow public servant and friend.

In his eulogy, Sen. Sotto expressed how he and Sen. Revilla, Sr. shared an inside joke when the two showbiz personalities topped the 1992 senatorial race.

"Namaalam sa atin ang inspirasyon at haligi ng dalawang mundo- ang mundo ng pinilakang tabing at mundo ng serbisyo publiko. Hindi ganoon kadali ang maging bahagi ng dalawang mundong ito na nakasalay sa pagtangkilik ng mga mamayan ng buong bansa. Ito ay mapapatunayan lamang sa dami ng nanonood ng iyong pelikula at sa dami ng bumoboto sa iyo sa pambasang halalan," Sotto said.

In response, Sen. Revilla, Jr. expressed his gratitude to all his father's colleagues, friends and the Filipino people for expressing their love, stories and sympathies.

"May kasabihan po na dalawang petsa lang ang maisusulat sa nitso. Pero ang pinakamahalaga po ay yung dash. Today, we celebrate that dash in between those two dates - March 8, 1927 and June 26, 2020. After all, it is not the years in your life, but the life in your years that count," Bong Revilla said.

"To you Daddy, salamat sa lahat. Kung bibigyan man ako ulit ng pagkakataon na pumili ng ama, ikaw pa rin ang pipiliin kong maging Daddy. Mahal kita, mahal ka namin. You are our hero. Kaming magkakapatid," he added.