ROBIN PADILLA

Robin Padilla

Although he was a neophyte in politics during the May 2002 national elections, Robin Padilla placed first in the senatorial race, garnering 27 million votes. This is a record for votes for a senatorial bet in a Philippine poll.

Sen. Padilla is currently the president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) and was the party’s Executive Vice President.

He also became the first Muslim senator to be elected since Santanina Rasul, who served in the Senate until 1995.

Currently, Sen. Padilla holds the following positions in the Senate:

1. Chairman, Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs

2. Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media

3. Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes

Sen. Padilla has vowed to champion the cause of ordinary Filipinos and Muslims in the Senate.

“Kailangan hindi ka lang action hero sa pelikula. ‘Pag sinabi na action hero ka, kahit sa totoong buhay (We must not only be an action hero in the movies. If people call you an action hero, you must be one in real life),” he said.

The senator has also been at the forefront of seeking amendments to the 1987 Constitution, to propel the country’s economic growth, among others.

Among the measures that Sen. Padilla has filed or backed in the upper chamber of Congress are: amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law; Civil service eligibility for casual and contractual workers in government; and seeking the death penalty for those who commit the crime of rape.

Sen. Padilla is also advocating the inclusion of Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas or Philippine History in the K-12 curriculum; ensuring the rights of same-sex couples; giving parties in a marriage the choice of divorce if martial differences cannot be resolved; combating and reducing criminality; and protecting the environment.