The day that Agham Road and BIR Road in Quezon City would be both renamed to "Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago Avenue" may come sooner than later.

This. after the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill No.7413, also known as "An Act renaming the Agham Road and the BIR Road, stretching from North Avenue, traversing through Quezon Avenue up to East Avenue, all located in Quezon City, as Senator Miriam P. Defensor-Santiago Avenue".

The measure garnered 283 affirmative votes during nominal voting in plenary session Tuesday, March 21.

Deputy Speaker and Cebu 6th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco, who presided over Tuesday's session, declared HB No.7413 as passed on third reading. It is now up to the Senate to come up with a counterpart measure.

The bill honoring the beloved late former senator was principally authored by Isabela 1st district Rep. Tonypet Albano, Quezon City 1st district Rep. Arjo Atayde, Quezon City 4th district Rep. Marvin Rillo, and Surigao del Sur 1st district Rep. Romeo Momo Sr.

As provided by the bill, "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."

"The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall issue the necessary rules, orders, and circulars to implement the provisions of this Act within 60 days from its effectivity," the measure stated.

The proposed statute shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Santiago--described by authors as "a brilliant legal luminary who lived a life dedicated to public service"--died from complications of lung cancer on Sept. 29, 2016. She was 71.

“She brought honor and pride to the country by being the very first Filipino and first Asian in the United Nations (UN) to be elected as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC),” HB No.6576 stated.

As a three-term senator, Santiago was "known for her unquestionable integrity and her crusade against corruption", the authors said.

“For her courage and moral leadership, Defensor-Santiago received the Magsaysay Award for Government Service, an award that is known as the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize. She was likewise the only woman recipient of the Philippines’ highest national honor, the Quezon Service Cross,” they said.

In 1983, at the age of 38, Santiago became the youngest presiding judge in the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City and gained a reputation for strict impartiality in applying the law.

Santiago, a former Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Government Service, also served as commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)

She ran for president of the Philippines during the memorable 1992 national elections where she put on a strong performance. She made another bid for the Palace seat in the 2016 polls, with then-Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as her running mate.