GORDON SPONSORS SENATE RESOLUTION HONORING FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER ARNULFO FUENTEBELLA FOR EXEMPLARY CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

Senator Richard J. Gordon sponsored on Wednesday Senate Resolution No. 521 "honoring and remembering the illustrious life and exemplary contributions for public service" of former House Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella, who passed away this morning, September 9, 2020, due to heart failure after battling chronic renal disease for two years.

The Resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the Senate, recognized Fuentebella's remarkable achievements as Congressman of the province of Camarines Sur for 21 years, and as Speaker of the House during the 11th Congress and Deputy Speaker for Luzon during the 14th and 15th Congress.

In his privilege speech, Gordon mentioned some of Fuentebella's accomplishments as a lawmaker including his sponsorship of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), which was "hailed as a pro-market reform that is strategic to the goal of providing reliable and competitively-priced electricity in the country."

"Speaker Noli Fuentebella turned the 4th District of Camarines Sur, also known as the Partido District, into a national model of district development planning in the region, through Republic Act No. 7820 establishing the Partido Development Administration. He was instrumental in realizing the creation of the second largest National Road Network in the Bicol Region that spanned over 270 kilometers, as well as the electrification of all 299 barangays of Camarines Sur," Gordon said.

Fuentebella's demise was announced by his son, Camarines Sur 4th District Representative Arnulf Bryan Fuentebella, in his Facebook page this morning.

"Now, resolved, as it is hereby resolved, for the Senate of the Philippines to express, as it hereby expresses, its profound sympathy and sincere condolences to his wife Evelyn, his children and his entire family, and also to the House of Representatives and the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur on the passing of Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Palma Fuentebella," the Resolution stated.