PACQUIAO NOW A FULL-FLEDGED COLONEL
By Aquiles Z. Zonio
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 Mar 2018
SENATE ? It was an affair attended by personalities considered as big shots in their own chosen field.
Unprecedented, to say the least, in the history of the Senate that the House Speaker together with his Majority Floor Leader and two deputy speakers, a media bigwig and the world?s one and only eight-division boxing champion showed up to get the confirmation of the Commission on Appointments (CA).
This may never happen again.
Eight out of the nine nominees who got the CA nod are lawmaker-reservists. The other one is a senior officer of the AFP.
The lawmaker-reservists, whose promotion to full-fledged colonel was confirmed Wednesday by the CA, include Senators Loren Legarda and Manny Pacquiao, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, House Majority Leader Rudy Farinas, House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Bai Sandra Sema, House Deputy Speaker for Visayas Gwendolyn Garcia, Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas and Cavite Rep. Roy Loyola.
During the confirmation proceedings, members of the powerful Commission described the nominees as cream of the crop in their own chosen field aside from being prolific and hardworking lawmakers.
In his speech, Senator Ping Lacson described Legarda as a woman of beauty, depth and substance.
Legarda ?s track record as senator would prove she?s one of the finest lawmakers this country has ever produced.
Legarda chaired several important committees in the Senate, which include Foreign Relations and Environment, among others.
House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Farinas, a bar topnotcher and a veteran lawmaker, was overheard saying "Manny Pacquiao was just six years old when I got my promotion as lieutenant colonel. That was 33 years ago. Now, we have the same rank."
Senator Migz Zubiri has nothing but profuse admiration for his fellow Mindanaoan, Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
Zubiri said Pacquiao?s record as a prizefighter is matchless.
?I am proud of him as a friend and as a fellow Mindaoan,? Zubiri said.
Pacquiao has exceeded people?s expectation by showing hard work and utmost dedication to his job as legislator.
Since he assumed office, Sen. Pacquiao has accomplished many things despite his being a newcomer.
He has filed 36 quality bills, one of which was Senate Bill No. 190 (The Wireless Internet Access Act) now known as RA 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places.
The boxer-lawmaker also filed several resolutions, including the controversial Senate Resolution No. 318, which amended Senate Rule XXV Sec. 72.
In said resolution, Sen. Pacquiao stood his ground against veteran lawmakers in adopting a measure that runs counter with the Constitution.
Pacquiao?s bravery is not confined inside the boxing ring.
As senator, he has displayed fearless and uncompromising stance in defending at the plenary what he believes is right and proper.
He stood for the revival of the death penalty law especially for the drug traffickers when everyone else was obviously scared due to strong pressure from various lobby groups.
He filed the higher tobacco tax bill (Senate Bill 1599) amidst strong lobbying from several vested interest groups and tobacco companies.
He led the Senate investigation on the multi-billion fund scam involving payments by the Department of Public Works & Highways of the road right-of-way claims of fictitious individuals using spurious land titles.
The probe is expected to shift to a high gear when it resumes on March 16 in General Santos City.
His other bills awaiting approval by the Senate include, among others, OFW Handbook, 180 Days Maternity Leave for all Women Workers, abolition of the Road Board, Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservists bill, Expanded Philippine Sports Commission Act of 2017 and Philippine Boxing Commission.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Aquiles Z. Zonio.
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