RENAMING OF SHAW BOULEVARD AS JAIME
CARDINAL SIN BLVD. SOUGHT IN PIMENTEL BILL

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today proposed the renaming of Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong and Pasig cities as the Jaime Cardinal Sin Boulevard as a sign of the Filipino people's appreciation for his patriotic role in restoring their fundamental freedoms that were denied them during the martial law years.

The proposal to change the name of Shaw Boulevard, that starts from Kalentong Street in Mandaluyong all the way up to Barangay Bagong Ilog in Pasig, is contained in Senate Bill 1487 introduced by Pimentel.

"It is really only a symbolic honor that we now seek to bestow belatedly on the man who did not allow his high religious office to deter him from getting his feet wet in the murky waters of political dispute in the country in defense of the fundamental and human rights of the people," he said.

He pointed out that Shaw Boulevard, where the Archbishop's Residence, Villa San Miguel, is located, was named after William J. Shaw, an American businessman, who came to Manila in 1901 first as a clerk, but who later became the president of the Atlantic Gulf and Pacific Company. His main claim to fame that he donated the land where Wack Wack Golf Club now stands.

During the tumultuous years of the Marcos regime, Pimentel said Cardinal Sin led the Filipino people in fighting for their rights amid oppression, advocating the use of peaceful means, following the Gospel's teachings, to change the political situation in the country.

"It was Cardinal Sin who had successfully pushed the people to take the calculated risk that toppled the authoritarian regime of Marcos and restored the values of freedom, justice and peace to our land in the aftermath of what is now the world-renowned People Power Revolution of 1986," he said.

Once the bill is approved into law, the Department of Public Works and Highways will be directed to place the appropriate street name and markings along Jaime Cardinal Sin Boulevard.

Pimentel said the Filipino people continued to be under the spiritual guidance of the charismatic Church leader during the Aquino, Ramos and Estrada administrations and in the early years of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

On June 21, 2005, Cardinal Sin died at the age of 77, leaving behind a legacy that will best be remembered for his rallying the people to defend their rights and liberties.

A native of New Washington, Aklan, Cardinal Sin studied priesthood St. Vincent Ferret Seminary, was ordained to the presbyterium and became a priest of the Archdiocese of Jaro on April 3, 1954. He was appointed its auxiliary bishop on February 10, 1967. On March 18 of that year, he was ordained as bishop of the titular see of Obba. On March 15, 1972, Sin was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Jaro, taking on administrative roles in the archdiocese while holding the titular see of Massa Lubrense. On October 8, 1972, Sin was appointed Archbishop of Jaro, taking full control of the archdiocese.

He led the Archdiocese of Manila as its archbishop on March 19, 1974 and was later made Cardinal by Pope Paul VI on May 24, 1976.

Cardinal Sin was only the third native Filipino Archbishop of Manila, following centuries of Spanish, American and Irish episcopacy. -o0o-