Legarda Hails Declaration of Paredes House in Abra as Historical Site

February 23, 2013

Senator Loren Legarda hailed the declaration of the residence of Don Quintin Paredes in Abra as a national historical site, conferred by virtue of Adopted Senate Resolution 136.

“Today, the National Historical Institute has unveiled the historical marker ‘Quintin Paredes’ at the ancestral house of Paredes in Bangued, Abra. This move is only fitting to honor a great and distinguished man who lived his life in the service of the Filipino people. We pay tribute to this great statesman as we ensure that his life, especially as a public servant, will be forever part of Philippine history,” said Legarda, author of the Senate resolution that urged the declaration of Don Quintin’s birthplace as a national historical site.

Legarda remarked that from his humble beginnings in Bangued, Abra, Don Quintin went on to hold many important government positions such as Manila City Fiscal, Attorney General, Secretary of Justice, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senate President Pro-Tempore, and later, Senate President. He was also a member of the parliamentary mission to the United States in 1919.

“Don Quintin authored the Magna Carta for Labor while never giving up on his advocacy in promoting vocational courses in education. He also contributed to the review of the provisions of the Revised Penal Code as a member of the Code Commission. But more than his exemplary service as a lawyer and legislator, Don Quintin championed the cause for civil liberties,” she detailed.

“Even after he retired from public service at the age of 79 in 1963, he continued to be a defender of rights through his practice of law. Don Quintin’s life is a life from which we can draw inspiration as he exemplifies hard work and belief in the importance of every individual,” Legarda concluded.