
Nurtured by seasoned politicians like illustrious Sen. Gerry Roxas and venerable President Manuel Roxas, Sen. Mar Roxas or known as "Mr. Panlengke" opened his hands to public service.
In 1993, He represented the 1st District of Capiz. He later became Majority Leader of the House Representatives.
As congressman, Mar espoused consumer protection, underscoring the right of every Filipino to affordable medicines, as his personal advocacy. His landmark laws include, among others:
• RA 8759 - establishing in all municipalities a Public Employment Service Office which serves as employment facilitation and information center and links all job opportunities within the region.
• RA 8748 - amending the Special Economic Zone Act by directly allocating to the municipality or city 2% (out of 5%0 gross tax to be collected from the establishments operating in the ecozone and providing for disturbance compensation for persons to be displaced or evicted by publicly-owned ecozones;
• RA 8756 - incentivizing the establishment of regional headquarters to encourage investment and operation of multinational companies in the country and to generate more jobs (www.marroxas/senateofthephilippines.com)
After his congressional stint, Mar was appointed as Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry where he engaged himself in developing the "palengke" for him - if not to all - the basic unit of the economy and the root for progress. As Father of the Call Center and Business Process Outsourcing Industries, Mar opened "Make IT Philippines" IT-enabled services (ITES) and cell centers, thereby creating jobs for many Filipinos. He also opened National Steel Corporation, Garment Export Industry Transformation Plan and Assistance Package and Motor Vehicle Development Program. He also supported micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME).
In 2004, he was elected as senator. With the courage and competence to carve his own path as a national leader, Mar pushed for the development and empowerment of people as what public leadership entails.
He intensified his commitment to consumer welfare and protection, sound trade and investment policies, quality education, establishment of high technology industry, job generation and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises development. Being a staunch proponent of "palengkenomiks", he strengthened the Consumer Code of the Philippines. During the economic crisis, he pressed on felt issues and needs of the people both socially and economically.
Owing to his record of accomplishments as a public servant - being able to reach out people from different walks of life not simply on oratory but with true service, Mar is recognized all over the world . Recently, the Singapore government has awarded him as 16th Lee Kuan Yew Fellow.
Moreover, the public life of Mar straddles both the worlds of people and politics.
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