Press Release
March 18, 2019

Keynote speech of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Senate building
at the Navy Village, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

To my fellow Public Servants;

Friends;

Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a most blessed and delightful day --- and the sun is shining so brightly upon us all --- as we break ground for the construction of the new Senate Headquarters.

I am very fortunate to lead this groundbreaking ceremony not only due to the fact that our new and "own" home is about to be built but more so because during the first-ever Senate, the First Congress of the Philippines and now another historic event like this one, one Senator Sotto is present to witness each event to unfold. My grandfather Senator Filemon Sotto was part of the first Philippine Senate in 1916; his brother, my grandfather as well, Vicente Yap Sotto was a member of the First Congress of the Philippines in 1946; and now this representation is leading the commencement of the construction of the new Senate building.

It has been a long time coming. It took decades for this dream to materialize. But this I tell you, when the building finally stands on this site, it will have been worth the wait. Thus, I would like to thank and congratulate Senator Panfilo Lacson, the Chair of the Committee on Accounts, for making this day possible.

The structure is going to be a worthy bastion of democracy, of free speech, of great ideas. It is going to be an eminent representation of this institution we all serve. It is going to be an illustrious home for true servants of the people.

I hope and pray we will all be blessed to see the day when the cement and steel will have become the home of our Senate employees. But more than that, I hope and pray we will all be blessed to see the day when this building will have become a home for the Filipino people.

To future public servants, future Senators of the Republic, future employees of the Senate - I trust that you will prove yourselves worthy of the trust, the honor and the privilege of calling the august halls of the soon-to-be new Senate Building your workplace and "home away from home."

What a fortunate group of government workers we all are, to be given the tremendous opportunity to help uplift the lives of our countrymen through the laws that we author and pass.

To the Filipino people, we commit to serve you with all of our minds, all of our hearts, and all of the strength of our bodies.

We commit to spend long hours, as needed, to enact laws that will improve your lot and give you and your loved ones the bright future that you deserve.

We commit to dedicate our working hours in your service, dear Filipinos.

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