Senate to hold necrological services for ‘hard working,’ ‘illustrious’ Flavier

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will hold necrological services for former Senator and Health Secretary Juan Flavier, who was described in a resolution as a “hard working” and “illustrious” senator.

Flavier, who served as senator from 1995 to 2007, succumbed to pneumonia last Thursday at age 79.

Senate Secretary Oscar Yabes said the necrological services for the late senator would be held when the chamber resumes its sessions on November 17.

Yabes said senators to be led by Senate President Franklin Drilon would wait for Flavier’s remains at 9:30 a.m. at the main entrance of the Senate building.

Aguard stands next to the flag-draped coffin of former Sen. Juan Flavier during his wake at Church of the Risen Lord on the University of the Philippines Diliman campus.  ALEXIS CORPUZ

The senators, along with Flavier’s wife and children, the Senate Secretary, Sergeant-at-Arms, Deputy Secretaries, Senate Legal Counsel, Directors-General will then escort the urn containing the remains of the former senator to the session hall at the Second floor of the building.

The urn, Yabes said, will be carried by pallbearers of the Philippine National Police.

The senators will also deliver eulogies for the former legislator around 9:55 a.m. A resolution will also be presented by the chamber to express its “profound sympathy and sincere condolence on the death of the former senator” to Flavier’s family.

“The hard working legislator registered a perfect attendance during the sessions and was instrumental in the enactment of landmark legislations promoting public health care and improving the quality of life of the people,” the resolution said.

“The passing away of the illustrious senator is a great loss not only to his bereaved family but to the nation as well,” it added.

After the public viewing, the Senate will host lunch for the family and relatives of the deceased, the senators and the guests at the Recto-Laurel Rooms.

After lunch, Yabes said the pallbearer will carry the urn to the Ground Floor of the building for its departure with senators and senate officials in attendance.

“After the departure hymn, the designated pallbearers shall fold the national flag and hand it over to the Senate President who, in turn, will present the flag to the former senator’s family,” Yabes said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Senate has been flying the flag at half-mast since Flavier’s death as a symbol of its mourning.

As senator, Flavier authored and sponsored several bills that became law such as the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (Republic Act 8423); Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act (R.A. 8425); Philippine Clean Air Act (R.A. 8749); Indigenous People’s Rights Act (R.A.8371);  Anti-Money Laundering Act (R.A. 9160); law declaring Eidl Fitr as a National Holiday (R.A. 9177); Barangay Micro-Business Enterprise (R.A. 9178); National Service Training Program for Tertiary Students (R.A. 9163); the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (R.A. 9165); the Plant Variety Protection Act (R.A. 9168);  the Philippine Nursing Act (R.A. 9173) and the Tobacco Regulation Act (R.A. 9211).