Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon

Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon was born on April 14, 1935 in Batac, Ilocos Norte. His father Rufino Biazon, was a doughmaker then while his mother Juliana Gaspar, was a clotheswasher. His father died and left him along with his mother and three younger sisters when he was seven years old. At a young age of eight, he and his sisters had already experienced great hardship, especially during the Japanese regime. Like any other poor family during those times, Senator Biazon and family had to work very hard to make ends meet. Living in a makeshift shanty in Cavite, they had to peddle food, collected bottles and newspapers, which were later sold in order to earn a living for the family. In spite of this poverty, it did not stop him from obtaining his education.

He enrolled as a Grade One student at the age of eleven, in 1946. In order to support his education, and at the same time look for ways to earn money to feed the family, he went to school in the morning and worked in the afternoon. He would collect seashells in Manila Bay which were in turn sold at the market. He studied in Jose Rizal Elementary School, Pasay City, for his primary education where he graduated salutatorian. He continued working, washing clothes for other people in order to sustain his high school education at the Jose Abad Santos High School located at the Arellano University, Pasay City in 1955. He also graduated from this school with honors. He stopped doing laundry and instead worked as a laborer in then Highway 54 now known as EDSA, this time to sustain his college education in FEATI where he took mechanical engineering.

Early in life, ‘Pong’, as he is fondly called, has already shown his patriotism when he chose to enter the Philippine Military Academy in 1957 despite having passed the examinations in the West Point and the US Naval Academy. He then met Ms. Monserrat Narag Bunoan whom he met through a classmate. Eight months after his graduation in the Philippine Military Academy, he eventually married Monchie. They had three children, Rita Rosanna, Rino Rudiyardo and Rozzano Rufino, who are all successful in their own fields. He was the class goat of PMA Class 1961 yet this did not prevent him from achieving his goal. As a soldier, he attained the following posts: Superintendent of PMA in 1986-87, Commandant of the Philippine Marines in 1987-89, Commanding General of the NCR Defense Command in 1988-90, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff in 1990-91 and AFP Chief of Staff in 1991. The most remarkable event of his life as a soldier was when he was assigned in Davao in 1983. It was there when he won back the trust and confidence of the civilians in the military who were then perceived by the people to be oppressive and abusive.

Senator Biazon attended other trainings or schooling which include the TOP Management Program at the Asian Institute of Management; Command and General Staff Course in Quantico, Virginia, USA; Crisis Program in California, USA; Allied Combat Intelligence Course in Okinawa, Japan; Senior Officer Maintenance Course in Kentucky, USA; Amphibious Warfare Course in Quantico Virginia USA and, Military Instructors in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

He became Senator in the Ninth Congress from 1992 up to 1995. Paul Aquino, the brother of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino was the one who convinced him to run for office. He was again elected as Senator in 1998 and continues to serve his term up to this day. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security and Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement. Aside from this, he holds the following positions in the Senate: Vice-Chair of the Committees on Agriculture and Food and Foreign Relations, and a Member of 15 other Senate Committees. He is also the President of the Asian Regional Council Global Parliamentarians on Habitat, the Vice-President for Asia Global Parliamentarians on Habitat, the Co-chairperson of PLCPD and a member of the Commission on Appointments.

As a Senator, he authored bills which were enacted into law, some of which are: RA No. 9208 – Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, RA No. 9161 – Rental Reform Act of 2002, RA 7835-Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter Finance Act, RA 7898-An Act providing for the Modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, RA 7742-An Act Amending PD1752 (Mandatory Pag-ibig Membership), RA 7901-An Act Creating the CARAGA Region, RA 7889-An Act Establishing the University of the Philippines Mindanao, RA 7863-The Home Guaranty Corporation Law, RA 7691-Expanding the Jurisdiction of MTC’s, MCTC and METC, Joint Resolution NO. 7-Increasing the Subsistence Allowance of Soldiers and Policemen, RA 8763-Home Guarantee Corporation Act of 2000, RA 9040-An Act Exempting from the Tax Certain Allowances and Benefits granted to the members of the AFP, and RA 9049-An Act Granting Monthly Gratuity and Privileges to an Awardee of the Medal of Valor.

Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon continues to draft bills which center on providing low cost housing and advocating bills for the benefit of our soldiers. His value for hard work and perseverance make him a man to be revered and a legislator deserving of the mandate given to him by the people.