Villar Maintains Record as Top Filer of Bills and Resolutions
�Also has best record in seeing a legislation through from filing to approval

Nacionalista Party President Senator Manny Villar, ever since he joined the Philippine Senate in 2001 during the 12th Congress, has been consistently among the top filers of bills and resolutions in the Upper Chamber. He continues this distinction until the present 14th Congress.

As of December 31, 2009, for the 14th Congress, Villar has the second most number of legislation filed in the Senate with 737 bills and resolutions. He follows consistent top filer Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago with 1,231--who is a guest candidate of the Nacionalista Party. For the year 2009 alone, Villar filed a total of 158 bills and resolutions (24 bills and 134 resolutions).

Villar has the highest number of bills and resolutions filed among the 'presidentiables'. The Senate Bills and Index Service provides statistics after each Congress, based on recent available data, the top ten filers are as follows: Santiago, Villar, Sens. Jinggoy Estrada, 622; Lito Lapid, 398; Chiz Escudero, 372; Loren Legarda, 359; Bong Revilla, 341; Antonio Trillanes, 341, Dick Gordon, 228; and Mar Roxas, 226.

In a study conducted by Dr. Ebinezer Florano, Chair of the Master of Public Management Program of UP Open University, cited that of the 21 Republic Acts or RAs approved by both Houses of Congress and duly signed by President Arroyo during the 14th Congress, Villar authored and co-authored 10 original bills that eventually became laws and thus has the best record in seeing bills through passage.

Based on the said study, Villar is followed by Ejercito-Estrada, with nine; Enrile with eight; and Edgardo Angara, Legarda, Revilla, and Miguel Zubiri with seven each. Sens. Roldolfo Biazon and Gordon have five each; Sens. Pia Cayetano, Defensor-Santiago, Escudero, Lapid, and Roxas have four each; Sens. Nene Pimentel and Trillanes have three each; Sens. Noynoy Aquino, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Honasan two (2) each; and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan has one. Sens. Joker Arroyo, Ping Lacson, and Jamby Madrigal have none.

Even as a neophyte senator in 2001, on his first day in office, Villar filed 204 bills covering a comprehensive legislative program of action--the first among neophyte senators.