KAIBAprofile

Raul S. Roco

source: www.raulroco.com

Education Sec. Raul S. Roco is the son of a farmer and a public school teacher from Bicol. He finished elementary at 10 and high school at 14 in Ateneo de Naga. He graduated AB English, Magna Cum Laude, at 18, and earned his law degree as Abbot's Awardee for Over-all Excellence at San Beda College. He took his Master of Comparative Law as a University Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. He was awarded five honorary doctorates by various universities. For his "exemplary performance in the Senate Impeachment Trial", he was awarded the Bantay Katarungan Award.

Raul was the youngest president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 1964. He was the youngest Bicolano delegate to the Constitutional Convention and the youngest president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. As legal staff of Sen. Ninoy Aquino, he drafted the Study Now Pay Later Law.

He wrote the lyrics of the San Beda College Alma Mater Song and was editor of The Bedan. He was executive producer of Lino Brocka's award-winning Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang. Inspired by his strong beliefs in hard work, study and prayer, he wrote the song Kaunting Dasal.

Representing the 2nd District of Camarines Sur, he was adjudged by the Ford Foundation and the UP Institute of Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS) as first in over-all performance among legislators at the Eighth Congress for the period 1987 - 1992.

As Senator from 1992-2001, Raul funded through the budget the increment mandated by the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers for retiring public school teachers. He funded teacher's cooperatives. He pioneered the computerization program for schools and meal scholarships at the Philippine Normal University for poor students. He abolished the NCEE to give opportunity to students to enter college. He helped private schools through the automatic release of GASTPE funds, a law which widens access to schooling.

Called the "Honorary Woman", Raul authored the Women in Nation Building Law (RA 7192), the Nursing Act (RA 7164), the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law (RA 7877), the Anti-Rape Law (RA 8353), and the Child and Family Courts Act (RA 8369). He prioritized women in the DECS literacy program. New Central Bank Law (RA 7653). He liberalized the banking industry (RA 7721) and strengthened the Thrift Banks (RA 7906). He authored the Intellectual Property Code (RA 8293) and the Securities Regulation Code (RA 8792).

Raul abolished double taxation on overseas Filipinos (RA-8424). He authored laws to speed up the administration of justice and repealed the Anti-Subversion Law. Raul was cited Outstanding by the Free Press in 1992 and 1999 and by various other publications and award bodies for his work as a legislator.

He is the president of Aksyon Demokratiko party. He is married to Sonia Cubillo Malasarte of Bohol, the Most Outstanding Student of the Philippines in 1964. They have six children and four grandchildren. He was the Ulirang Ama Awardee and the Golden Parents Awardee in 1995.