Senate adjourns session early in honor of Flavier

The Senate on Monday adjourned its session early in honor of the late Senator Juan Flavier.

The senators just approved the Senate Resolution 1014 “expressing the profound sympathy and sincere condolence of the Senate on the death of the Honorable Juan M. Flavier, former senator of the 10th, 11th, 12th,13th Congress (1995-2007).”

Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III moved that they adjourn their session as part of the Senate tradition in honor of their colleague.

Senate President Franklin Drilon approved the motion and asked the senators to go to the lounge for their caucus.

The senators paid their last respects to Flavier earlier in the day.

Flavier, 79, served as senator from 1995 to 2007. He succumbed to multi-organ failure and sepsis on October 30, 2014 at the National Kidney Transplant Institute due to complications from pneumonia.

He served as chairman of the Senate committees on health and demography; education, arts and culture; and cultural communities. He was also the longest serving Senate President Pro-Tempore since the 8th Congress when he was elected for the position in August 2002 (12th Congress) and in July 26, 2004 (13th Congress).

Flavier also registered a perfect attendance during the sessions and authored or co-authored laws that promoted public health care and disease prevention and improved the quality of life of the people.

Among the bills that he authored and sponsored that became laws were:

- Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (Republic Act 8423);
- Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act (R.A. 8425);
- Philippine Clean Air Act (R.A. 8749);
- Indigenous People’s Rights Act (R.A.8371);
- Anti-Money Laundering Act (R.A. 9160);
- Law declaring Eid'l Fitr as a National Holiday (R.A. 9177);
- Barangay Micro-Business Enterprise (R.A. 9178);
- National Service Training Program for Tertiary Students (R.A. 9163);
- Dangeous Drugs Act of 2002 (R.A. 9165);
- Plant Variety Protection Act (R.A. 9168);
- Philippine Nursing Act (R.A. 9173); and
- Tobacco Regulation Act (R.A. 9211).

—Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News