Ralph Recto

Recto holds the distinction of being the youngest elected member of the House of Representatives during the 9th Congress. He also holds an unprecedented record in the congressional election history of Batangas for winning in all precincts, barangays, and municipalities, together with Lipa City, in the 1995 and 1998 elections. He garnered 98% of the votes cast in those two elections in the 4th District of Batangas.

During his three terms (from 1992 to 2001) as a member of the House of Representatives, most of his legislative measures enacted into law deal with economic reforms and poverty alleviation, among which are the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act; the Philippine Economic Zone Law; Amendment to the Special Economic Zone Law; the Retail Trade Liberalization Law; Regional Headquarters Law; and the Comprehensive Tax Reform Law.

Recto was elected to the Senate in 2001, becoming the youngest Senator of the 12th Congress at the age of 37. In the Senate, he chaired the Committees on Ways and Means and on Trade and Industry.

He was co-chairman of the Congressional Oversight Committees on the Proper Implementation of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) and on the Official Development Assistance (ODA). He was also chairman of the Accounts committee.

During his first six-year term as Senator, he was largely responsible for the passage of laws with positive impact to consumers, small entrepreneurs, workers and industry.

After his failed bid for re-election to the Senate in 2007, Recto joined the board of the Union Bank of the Philippines.[5]

He is said to be offered the position of Secretary of Finance but it was subsequently denied by Malacañang.[6]

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on July 23, 2008, named him as the new director-general of National Economic and Development Authority, replacing Augusto Santos, acting NEDA chief.[7] On August 11, 2009, he resigned as NEDA secretary and Presidential Adviser for Economic Planning, in preparation for another run for Senate in the 2010 election.[1]

He was proclaimed as one of the winning senatorial candidates of the 2010 Senate elections.

On July 22, 2013, at the start of the first day of the 1st Regular Session of the Senate for the 16th Congress, Recto was elected Senate President Pro-Tempore, the second highest post in the Senate and was also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology and member of the powerful bicameral Commission on Appointments.

His legislative accomplishments during this period include authorship of laws on institutionalization of Kindergarten, implementation of K to 12, extension of the corporate life of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), increasing the tax-exempt ceiling on 13th month pay, Christmas bonus and other benefits, mandatory PHILHEALTH coverage for senior citizens, additional benefits for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), PAGASA modernization, extension of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization, creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Recto participated and was very vocal during the Senate hearings on Balikbayan boxes scam, the "Laglag bala" incidents in airports, and the shortage of license plates, among other things.

Recto ran for re-election in the 2016 Philippine Senate election under the Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid of LP standard bearer Mar Roxas and won placing 11th in the polls.

On the opening day of the 17th Congress, July 25, 2016, Senator Francis Escudero nominated Recto for the presidency. Senator Antonio Trillanes IV seconded Escudero’s nomination. During nominal voting, Pimentel voted for Recto. Recto voted for Pimentel. After losing the vote, Recto automatically became the Minority Leader. He was joined by Escudero and Trillanes.[8] Recto, in his acceptance speech for the post, vowed that the minority would cooperate with the Duterte administration's plans if these serve "the public interest." However, he said, they would be "duty-bound" to oppose the majority's agenda if it "hurts the nation." [9]

When the Senate underwent a reorganization on February 27, 2017, Recto, after getting 17 votes, was declared Senate President Pro Tempore, replacing Drilon.[10]

For the 17th Congress, he authored the following laws: Murang Kuryente Act, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act, Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act, Universal Health Care Act, Philhealth Coverage for PWDs, National Integrated Cancer Control Act, Tax Amnesty Act, The New Central Bank Act, Lifting Quantitave Import Restriction on Rice, Social Security Act, First 1000 Days of Life, Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education, Comprehensive National Feeding Program, Free Irrigation Service, Ease of Doing Business/Expanded Anti-Red Tape Act, Free Internet Access in Public Places, Extending the Validity of Philippine Passport and Driver's License, National ID System, and Designating Casinos as Covered Persons under the AMLA.

Recto kept his post as Senate President Pro-Tempore in the 18th Congress.[11]

In September 2018, Recto left the Liberal Party to re-join the Nacionalista Party.[3]

Laws authored/sponsored by Ralph G. Recto:[12]

• RA 11520 - Extending the Availability of the 2020 GAA to Dec. 31, 2021 (December 29, 2020) (Co-Author)

• RA 11519 - Extending the Availability of Appropriations under Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (December 29, 2020) (Co-Author)

• RA 11517 - Authorizing the President to Expedite the Processing and Issuance of National and Local Permits, Licenses and Certifications in Times of National Emergency (December 23, 2020) (Co-Author)

• RA 11509 - Medical Scholarship Act (December 23, 2020) (Co-Author)

• RA 11494 - Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (September 11, 2020) (Co-Author)

• RA 11469 - Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (March 24, 2020) (Co-Author)

• RA 11468 - National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims, Survivors and Their Families (January 23, 2020)

• RA 11466 - Salary Standardization Law of 2019 (January 8, 2020)

• RA 11454 - Disposition of Land in Krus na Ligas, Quezon City (August 30, 2019)

• RA 11371 - Murang Kuryente Act (August 8, 2019)

• RA 11310 - Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act (April 17, 2019) (Co-Author)

• RA 11229 - Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act (February 22, 2019) (Co-Author)

• RA 11228 - Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage for Persons with Disability (February 22, 2019) (Co-Author)

• RA 11223 - Universal Health Care Act (February 20, 2019)

• RA 11215 - National Integrated Cancer Control Act (February 14, 2019) (Co-Author)

• RA 11213 - Tax Amnesty Act (February 14, 2019) (Co-Author)

• RA 11211 - The New Central Bank Act (February 14, 2019) (Co-Author)

• RA 11203 - Lifting Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice (February 14, 2019)

• RA 11199 - Social Security Act of 2018 (February 7, 2019)

• RA 11148 - Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act (First 1,000 Days of Life) (November 29, 2018) (Co-Author)

• RA 11055 - Philippine Identification System Act (August 6, 2018) (Co-Author)

• RA 11037 - Masustansiyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino (June 20, 2018) (Co-Author)

• RA 11032 - Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Delivery of Government Services/Expanded Anti-Red Tape Act of 2018 (May 28, 2018)

• RA 10969 - Free Irrigation Service Act (February 2, 2018) (Co-Author)

• RA 10931 - Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (August 3, 2017)

• RA 10930 - Extending the Validity Period of Driver's License (August 2, 2017)

• RA 10929 - Free Internet Access in Public Places Act (August 2, 2017) (Co-Author)

• RA 10928 - Extending the Validity of Philippine Passport (August 2, 2017) (Co-Author)

• RA 10927 - Casinos as Covered Persons Under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (August 2, 2017)

• RA 10868 - Centenarians Act of 2016 (June 30, 2016)

• RA 10863 - Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) (May 30, 2016) (Co-Author)

• RA 10848 - Extending the Period of Implementation of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) (May 23, 2016)

• RA 10844 - Department of Information And Communications Technology (DICT) Act of 2015 (May 23, 2016)

• RA 10801 - Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Act (May 10, 2016) (Co-Author)

• RA 10754 - Additional Benefits for Persons with Disability (PWD) (March 23, 2016)

• RA 10708 - Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act (TIMTA) (December 9, 2015) (Co-Author)

• RA 10699 - National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act (November 13, 2015) (Co-Author)

• RA 10692 - PAGASA Modernization Act (November 3, 2015)

• RA 10687 - Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) (October 15, 2015) (Co-Author)

• RA 10665 - Open High School System Act (July 9, 2015) (Co-Author)

• RA 10653 - Increasing the Tax Exempt Ceiling on 13th Month Pay and Other Benefits (February 12, 2015)

• RA 10650 - Open Learning and Distance Education Act of 2014 (December 9, 2014) (Co-Author)

• RA 10647 - Ladderized Education Act of 2014 (November 21, 2014) (Co-Author)

• RA 10645 - PhilHealth Coverage for All Senior Citizens (November 5, 2014)

• RA 10638 - Philippine National Railways Charter Extension (June 16, 2014)

• RA 10606 - Amendments to the National Health Insurance Act (June 19, 2013) (Co-Author)

• RA 10533 - Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System ("K to 12 Program") (May 15, 2013)

• RA 10531 - Strengthening the National Electrification Administration (May 7, 2013)

• RA 10378 - International Common Carriers Tax Exemption (March 7, 2013)

• RA 10349 - Revised AFP Modernization Program (December 11, 2012) (Co-Author)

• RA 10157 - Kindergarten Education Act (January 20, 2012)

• RA 10149 - GOCC Governance Act of 2011 (June 6, 2011) (Co-Author)

• RA 9480 - General Tax Amnesty (May 24, 2007)

• RA 9442 - Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (April 30, 2007) (Co-Author)

• RA 9400 - Amendments to BCDA (March 20, 2007)

• RA 9439 - Prohibiting the Detention of Live or Dead Patients in Hospitals on Grounds of Nonpayment of Hospital Bills (April 27, 2007) (Co-Author)

• RA 9422 - Strengthening the Regulatory Functions of the POEA (April 10, 2007) (Co-Author)

• RA 9417 - Strengthening the Office of the Solicitor General (March 30, 2007) (Co-Author)

• RA 9399 - BCDA’s One-Time Tax Amnesty (March 20, 2007)

• RA 9367 - Biofuels Act of 2006 (January 12, 2007) (Co-Author)

• RA 9361 - Lifting of the 70% Cap on Input VAT (November 21, 2006)

• RA 9343 - Extension of RA 9182 (Special Purpose Vehicle Act of 2002) (April 24, 2006)

• RA 9341 - Amendments to the Rent Reform Act (December 21, 2005)

• RA 9337 - Amendments to the National Internal Revenue Code – (Reformed VAT and Increase in Corporate Income Tax) (May 24, 2005)

• RA 9335 - Lateral Attrition Act of 2005 (January 25, 2005)

• RA 9334 - Increasing the Excise Tax Rates on Alcohol and Tobacco Products (December 21, 2004)

• RA 9301 - Philippine Overseas Shipping Act (July 27, 2004)

• RA 9295 - Domestic Shipping Act (May 3, 2004)

• RA 9294 - Restoring the Tax Exemption of Offshore Banking Units (OBUs) and Foreign Currency Deposit Units (FCDUs) (April 28, 2004)

• RA 9282 - Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) (March 30, 2004)

• RA 9243 - Rationalizing the Provisions of Documentary Stamp Tax (February 17, 2004)

• RA 9238 - Excluding Several Services from VAT Coverage (February 5, 2004)

• RA 9224 - Rationalization of Excise Tax on Automobiles (August 29, 2003)

• RA 9182 - Special Purpose Vehicle Act of 2002 (December 23, 2002)

• RA 9178 - Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act of 2002 (November 13, 2002)

• RA 9167 - Film Development and Incentives Board (June 7, 2002)

• RA 9161 - Rent Reform Act of 2001 (December 22, 2001)

• RA 8762 - Retail Trade Liberalization Law (March 7, 2000)

• RA 8425 - Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act (December 11, 1997)

• RA 8424 - Comprehensive Tax Reform Law (December 11, 1997) (Co-Author)

• RA 7916 - Special Economic Zone Law (February 24, 1995) (Co-Author)