i SLORETARY

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE . )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
)

First Regular Session
SENATI
$a.No 4217

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INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR

10 JL 12 PI S4

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to name the strip of National Highway, connecting Talisay,
Batangas situated at Km. 70+340-km passing through the Municipality of Laurel up to
the Municipality of Agoncillo, Batangas situated at Km. 102+820 Province of Batangas
to be known as the "Speaker Jose 6. Laurel, Jr. Highways"

Like his illustrious father, he (Jose B. Laurel, Jr.) was an intense and enlightened
nationalist according to retired Supreme Court Justice Isagani Cruz.

To the country whose nationalist causes he incessantly advocated and zealously
guarded and to the global legislative system whose processes he had participated in
and to a great measure influenced- the late Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr., was a stalwart
patriot and brilliant legislator who, not only passed laws, but more importantly, laid down
principles and guided public policy to defend the dignity of the Filipinos and ensure their
tight to be first in their own country. His nationalism and patriotism were inspired by his
preeminent father, the late President Jose P. Laurel, who said: "No one can love the
Philippines better than Filipinos themselves."

Speaker Laurel held the distinct honor of being the only Filipino leader to be
elected three times as Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives. He was the
youngest Member of the First Congress of the Commonwealth of the Philippines when
first elected in 1941, authoring sin his first term as Speaker the Retail Trade
Nationalization Act of 1955. In his second term as Speaker, he wrote House Joint
Resolution No. 2, better known as the Magna Carta of Social Justice and Economic
Freedom, which became law on 04 August 1969.

Because of his sterling qualifications and unblemished record of public service,
Speaker Laurel was appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino in 1986 to the
Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the
Philippines, and was chosen as Chairman of the Committees on Citizenship, Bill of
Rights, Political Rights and Obligations and Human Rights. Speaker Laurel, with the
other Nationalists, co-wrote into the constitution the "Filipino First" policy.

Early in his student days at the University of the Philippines where he finished his
Associate in Arts and obtained the degree of Bachelor of Laws, he demonstrated his gift
of leadership. He was Captain of the University of the Philippines Debating Team, was
voted National Inter-University Champion Orator in 1934, and was elected President of
the U.P. Student Council in 1935. He was also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor
Society.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts, Master of Laws (meritissimus) and Doctor of Civil
Law (meritissimus) from the University of Santo Tomas and was also awarded the
Degree of Doctor in Derecho at the Universidad Central de Madrid in Spain


Speaker Laurel participated in World Conferences including the  Inter-
Parliamentary Union (IPU) Conference in Dublin, Ireland in 1950 and in Vienna in 1954,
and the Conference of Parliamentarians of the World Governments in 1953. In 1968, he
was unanimously elected President of the General Assembly of Asian Parliamentarians
Union (APU) held in Manila in 1968. _

In 1960, Speaker Laurel served as Chairman of the Philippines Panel which
negotiated the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation between the Philippines and
Japan. For distinguished service as a legislator for 31 years, he was the recipient of
three (3) distinguished awards- the First Class Order of Diplomatic Merit from the
Republic of Korea in 1968, the First Order of the Rising Sun, from His Majesty Emperor
Hirohito, and the First Class Order, of Kalantiao from President Corazon C. Aquino in
1986.

As a man, Speaker Laurel was sincere in his promises to help people and went
out of his way to help; he was generous to a fault; he was understanding and soft-
spoken; and above all, he was a faithful friend.

With the death of Speaker Jose B. Laurel, Jr. on March 11, 1998 at the age of
85, our country lost one of the nationalistic, courageous and brilliant legislators and
patriots of our time. For those of s who love him, the loss is immeasurable.

For the foregoing reasons, it is but proper that the strip of the National Highway,
connecting at the Municipality Talisay, Batangas, situated at Km 79+340 Km passing
through the Municipality of Laurel up to the Municipality of Agoncillo, Batangas situated
at Km 102+820, Province of Batangas, shall be named as the Speaker Jose B. Laurel,
Jr, Highway" to honor and perpetuate the memory of one of the greatest sons of
Batangas.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly requested.

MANNY VILLAR


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session ) 10 wil 12 P1S4.

SENA

S.B.No “te17 AECEIVED ot .

INTRODUCED BY SEN. MANNY VILLAR,

AN ACT TO HONOR AND PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF THE LATE SPEAKER
JOSE B. LAUREL JR., BY NAMING THE STRIP OF THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY,
CONNECTING THE MUNICIPALITY OF TALISAY, BATANGAS, SITUATED AT KM
79+340 PASSING THROUGH THE MUNICIPALITY OF LAUREL UP TO THE
MUNICIPALITY OF AGONCILLO, BATANGAS, SITUATED AT KM 102+820,
PROVINCE OF BATANGAS, AS THE SPEAKER JOSE B. LAUREL JR., HIGHWAYS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The strip of the National Highway, connecting the Municipality of
Talisay, Batangas, situated at Km 79+340 passing through the Municipality of Laurel up
to the Municipality of Agoncillo, Batangas, situated at Km 102+820, Province of
Batangas, to be known as the "Speaker Jose 6. Laurel, Jr., Highways”

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,