PRIB: Senate honors Erap, Dra. Loi

PHILIPPINES, February 4 - Press Release
February 4, 2025

Senate honors Erap, Dra. Loi

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero introduced today, February 4, 2025, Senate Resolution 1295 honoring former President Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada for his service and contributions to the country and the Filipino people.

Estrada's legacy in public service is characterized by his ability to bridge legislation and policies with the realities on ground, which marked his influence in governance, Escudero in his sponsorship speech said.

"It was in this chamber that he called for a fair society where hard work is rewarded with a better life and a just one in which one is denied of he fruits of their labor," Escudero said, adding that Estrada was the genuine article simply because he never used the Senate as a springboard for his ambition but used it as a stage to do good.

He said one of Estrada's charm is being a man of the people. A "masa" man who did not conceal his weaknesses but controlled his narrative.

"While others conceal their lack of academic pedigree, you tout your lack of college diploma without resorting to the anti-intellectualism of the insecure," Escudero said.

The Senate President said Estrada had in fact surrounded himself with the best and the brightest cabinet members when he was president, chosen for their competence and not connections.

"They were so good that after inheriting an economy that was battered to the headwinds of the Asian financial crisis of 1997, which plunged our GDP growth to 0.5 percent in 1998, the year you assumed the presidency, it bounced back to 3.6 percent in 1999, with agriculture surging to a powerful 6.6 percent," Escudero added.

Former President Estrada had also served as vice president, senator and mayor for the cities of San Juan and Manila. He was also a famous actor starring in over 100 movies and 70 produced films. He was inducted into the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Hall of Fame as Best Actor and producer.

His deep affection for his compatriots in the movie industry led him to establish the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (Mowelfund), a non-stock, non-profit social welfare, educational and industry development foundation to uplift the welfare of workers in the Philippine motion picture industry.

Estrada started his career as a politician in 1969 when he was elected mayor of San Juan City. He was awarded Outstanding Mayor and Foremost Nationalist by the Inter-Provincial Information Service in 1971, Most Outstanding Metro Manila Mayor by the Philippine Princeton Poll in 1972 and one of the 10 Outstanding Young Men in Public Administration by the Philippine Jaycees in the same year.

Eighteen years later, Estrada was elected to the Senate where he chaired the Committees on Cultural Communities and Rural Development and authored Republic Act No 7307 or the Philippine Carabao Act, which created the Philippine Carabao Center as well as Republic Act No. 6978, otherwise known as an Act to Promote Rural Development by Providing for an Accelerated Program Within a Ten Year Period for the Construction of Irrigation Projects, which mandated the National Irrigation Administration to develop irrigation projects for 1,5 million hectares of unirrigated land.

Estrada was recognized as one of the Three Outstanding Senators of the year by the Philippine Free Press in 1989 and as part of the "Magnificent 12" who voted for the termination of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement in 1991.

In 1992, he was elected Vice President of the country, leading the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) and establishing the Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Education (PhilDARE).

Estrada reached the pinnacle of his political career when the was elected as the 13th President of the Philippines. Among his achievements were mass housing projects, expanding the coverage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and establishing the Educational Re-entry Agenda of the President for the Poor (E.R.A.P). He also signed into law Republic Act Nos. 8791 and 8792, strengthening the supervisory powers of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and facilitating electronic commerce, respectively.

He was elected Mayor of Manila from 2013 to 2019 and continued to be an influential leader with his role as Chairman Emeritus of the political party Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).

Meanwhile, the Senate also adopted on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Senate Resolution No. 1296, commending and honoring former Sen. Luisa "Loi" Ejercito Estrada for her service and invaluable contributions to the country and the Filipino.

He said Sen. Loi provided medical and surgical missions and relief missions to millions of Filipino who saw her husband as their champion. She embraced the masses, and they embraced her back.

"In her speeches here, she stressed, time and again, that poverty is the greatest comorbidity to whatever sickness there is. Likewise, her bills were prescriptions which sought to cure the many maladies ailing Philippine society. She wrote laws to protect women and outlaw trafficking; promote public health and provide clean water; protect the people from tobacco and drugs; and empower local cinema," Escudero said.

He said Sen. Loi had left behind a legacy of compassion and public service which is certainly worth remembering and emulating. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)