The Senate approved on third and final reading Monday, September 13, a bill that proposes to rename Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City after Fernando Poe Jr.
Voting 22-0-1, senators approved House Bill (HB) No. 7499 which pays tribute to the late Filipino actor, who was hailed as the "King of Philippine Movies".
Senator Grace Poe, daughter of Fernando Poe Jr., abstained from voting on the measure but said she was elated over its passage.
“I purposely abstained because of our rule that it might be a conflict of interest. But in my heart I am so happy that this has passed. So thank you very much,” Poe said after the chamber voted on the bill.
HB 7499, passed in the House of Representatives in September, 2020, initially sought to rename Del Monte Avenue, which is also located in Quezon City. A similar bill was filed in the Senate by Senator Lito Lapid, also an actor.
But Catholic groups have protested against the renaming of the Del Monte Avenue because of its profound religious significance as the site of the first Christian community in QC.
To address this, Senate President Vicente Sotto III introduced an amendment to rename Roosevelt Avenue, which was named in memory of United States President Franklin Roosevelt.
In proposing to rename Roosevelt Avenue instead, Sotto noted that it was where the late actor grew up.
Under the bill, the Department of Public Works and Highways shall issue the necessary rules, orders, and circulars to implement the provisions within 60 days from its effectivity.
Ronald Allan Poe, known as FPJ, was cited for his contributions in the television and movie industry. He died at the age of 65 on December 14, 2004 and was posthumously declared as a National Artist in 2012.