Press Release
August 3, 2020

Senate adopts resolution expressing condolences to the family of former Sen. Ramon Revilla Sr.

Senators on Monday adopted a resolution expressing its profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the family of former colleague, movie icon and "Father of the Public Works Act", Senator Ramon B. Revilla Sr.

Revilla Sr., father of incumbent Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., died of heart failure last June 26, 2020 at the age of 93.

Senate Resolution No. 459, introduced by Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, was first presented to the Revilla family during a necrological service held last July 1, 2020 at the Senate.

"The passing of a great public servant with a kind and good heart who had lived up to his principle that 'it is not enough that the Filipino people are served, but they must be served well' is a great loss not only to his family but to the Filipino people as well, especially those whose heart he had touched the most," Sotto said.

As a neophyte senator, Revilla Sr. authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 8150 otherwise known as the Public Works and Highways Infrastructure Program Act of 1995, a measure which identified the infrastructure projects pursued by the government all over the country, including remote and less developed barangays to make the Philippines an industrialized economy.

Also, among the legacies he left behind for being a Senate member from 1992 to 2004, was the enactment of RA 8294 or the "Revilla law" which lowers the penalties for illegal possession of firearms and RA 9255 which allows illegitimate children to carry the surname of their father.

Revilla Sr. was also instrumental in the enactment of RA 8370 or the Children's Media Act which limited the violent and sex scenes in television shows, as well as RA 8757 which established the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame, the law granting cash and non-monetary benefits to national athletes, coaches and trainers who distinguished themselves in their particular field of sports.

During his stint as a senator during the 9th to 12th Congresses, Revilla Sr. served as chairman of the Committees on Public Works; Motion Pictures and Television, Public Information and Mass Media; Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development; as member of the Congressional Oversight Committee on the Bureau of Customs and the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).

Revilla Sr. landed second to Sotto when he first ran for the Senate during the 1992 senatorial elections and garnered the 10th highest number of votes when he sought re-election in 1998.

Following his retirement from Senate, Revilla Sr. was appointed in 2004 by then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as chairman of the Public Estates Authority, an agency that serves as clearing house of all government reclamation projects, and reappointed by former Pres. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III and served until 2011.

"The outstanding performance and unblemished record of public figure like Revilla Sr., whose love for the masses, the underprivileged in particular, and deep concern over their interest and welfare, was an inspiring light that laid down the parameters of authentic public service, is worth emulating by his fellow public servants in government, especially his children and descendants who have followed his footsteps," said Sotto.

Besides Sen. Bong, another son, Strike B. Revilla, is currently serving as representative of the 2nd District of Bacoor City while one of his daughters, Andrea Bautista-Ynares is the mayor of Antipolo City. Incumbent Cavite Vice Gov. Ramon "Jolo" Revilla III happens to be a grandson of the late lawmaker.

Prior to being a senator, Revilla Sr. gained popularity among the masses and even earned the moniker "Hari ng Agimat" of the Philippine movie industry due to his numerous portrayals of characters with amulets or "anting-anting."

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