Former Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The bill renaming the Agham Road and the BIR Road in Quezon City as “Senator Miriam P. Defensor Santiago Avenue” has lapsed into law.
The Republic Act No. 11963, renaming the roads after the late Senator, became a law on Thursday, October 12.
“The Agham Road and the BIR Road, stretching from North Avenue, traversing through Quezon Avenue, up to East Avenue, all located in Quezon City, are hereby renamed as Senator Miriam P. Defensor-Santiago Avenue,” section one of the act states.
Its section two mandates the Department of Public Works and Highways to issue the necessary rules, orders, and circulars to implement the provisions of the Act. The department has given 60 days from the effectivity of the act to do so.
“This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation,” its section three indicates.
The Act lapsed into law even without the signature of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
As written in the Official Gazette, “If the President does not act on a proposed law submitted by Congress, it will lapse into law after 30 days of receipt.”
According to the Congress, the Act was passed by the House of Representatives on March 21, 2023, and was passed by the Senate on August 14, 2023.
It got 283 affirmative votes from the House of Representatives, with no negative votes nor abstention.
It likewise passed the Senate, drawing 22 affirmative votes, with no negative votes nor abstention.
The late Senator Miriam P. Defensor Santiago served three terms as a senator, a Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary, a Bureau of Immigration Commissioner, and a former trial court judge.
She died in 2016 at the age of 71.