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.