Press Release
May 5, 2020

SENATE ADOPTS GORDON'S RESOLUTION HONORING HEHERSON ALVAREZ' LIFE, DECLARING HIS BIRTH AND DEATH ANNIVERSARIES AS BLOOD DONATION DAY

The Senate adopted on Tuesday Resolution No. 390 "Honoring the Life of Former Senator Heherson "Sonny" T. Alvarez by Conducting a Blood Donation Drive on October 26 and April 20 of Every Year, in Partnership with the Philippine Red Cross" sponsored by Senator Richard J. Gordon.

The resolution states that Alvarez' daughter, Herxila, has requested the Senate to conduct a yearly blood donation in commemoration of Alvarez' birth and death anniversaries on October 26 and April 20, respectively.

It also says that the donation drive will be conducted "to honor and remember the exemplary life of Sonny and his outstanding contributions as a legislator."

In his sponsorship speech, Gordon said, "I certainly commiserate with his family, particularly with my good friend, Cecile Alvarez. I spoke with Sonny's daughter at the time of his passing and they would like to request the Senate if we could have a blood day to remember his father and the Red Cross would be glad to do it."

Alvarez, who recently died due to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), served in the Philippine Senate for two terms from June 30, 1987 to June 30, 1998. Among several laws that he championed are Republic Act No. 6557 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), Republic Act No. 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan, and Republic Act No. 7638 or the law creating the Department of Energy (DOE). He also authored the resolution declaring April 22 as "Earth Day".

Alvarez continued authoring bills that seek to protect the environment when he became representative of the fourth district of the province of Isabela in 1998 to 2001.

He was the husband of Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, founder of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

News Latest News Feed