The House of Representatives paid its final tribute to the late Albay congressman Edcel Lagman at the plenary hall on Wednesday.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez delivered a eulogy during the necrological service in the hall.
He described the former congressman as “a statesman in the truest sense of the word.”
He highlighted Lagman’s significant legislative achievements, such as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, the abolition of the death penalty, and the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act.
“He did not come to Congress to seek the approval of the comfortable; he came to uplift those who had been forgotten,” he said.
Romualdez called on his fellow solons in Congress to continue the work that Lagman started.
Former speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. referred to Lagman as “a formidable force in Congress,” noting that his legacy would continue to inspire future generations.
“His voice may have fallen silent but his ideals, courage, and commitment to justice, human rights, and the rule of law will continue to inspire generations to come,” he said.
Lagman’s eldest daughter, Tabaco City Mayor Cielo Krisel Lagman-Luistro, expressed her gratitude to the House of Representatives for the sincere tribute to her father’s life and legacy as a statesman and pledged to carry on his mission.