His independence makes him a quintessential but well-loved curmudgeon, the critic that makes us see through our faults in well thought out statements. He can never be boxed into a myopic position to the disdain of his critics.

   He is not one to shun the rough waters of public opinion when he tackles unpopular measures. He faces them head on, but in ways that disarm the enemy. Whoever initially opposes him is converted into an ally.

   Being the youngest Senator of the 12th Congress has not deterred him from ably leading the powerful Ways and Means committee that has been traditionally assigned to senior Senators. He led the unmasking of foreign hands subverting the work of the Senate and other government offices.

   Likewise, a deep sense of equity and fairness defined his balanced handling and scrutiny of tax measures. In all cases, he assigns great value on the peoples' needs in the face of contending government and industry concerns. He is also identified with warnings about ballooning budget deficits, public debt and unemployment, among others.

   He co-chairs the Congressional Oversight Committees on the Proper Implementation of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) and on the Official Development Assistance (ODA). Sensitivity to the welfare of government employees also marked his chairing of the Accounts committee dealing with the Senate budget.

   During the first half of his six-year term, he has already fathered five major laws with positive impact for consumers, small entrepreneurs, workers and industry. These are the Rent Reform Act of 2001, Film Development and Incentives Board, Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act of 2002, Special Purpose Vehicle Act of 2002 and the Rationalization of Excise Tax on Automobiles.

   Other major laws he sponsored which dealt with banks contribute to stable interest rates and accessible credit. These are: Excluding Several Services from the Coverage of VAT and Reimposing the GRT on Banks and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (FI) Performing Quasi-Banking Functions and other Non-Bank Fl Beginning Jan. 1, 2004; Rationalizing the Provisions of the Documentary Stamp Tax (DST) of the NIRC; and Tax Exemption on Offshore Banking Units and Foreign Currency.

   The Special Purpose Vehicles Law helped borrowers to buy back repossessed properties and for banks to unload Non-Performing Loans. Both borrowers and banks enjoyed the same fee privileges and tax incentives. This prevented mass ejection from mortgaged homes, Likewise it encouraged banks to offer more loans.

   The Excise Tax on Automobiles Law helped increase tax collection through a simple and transparent system. It whet consumer and entrepreneur appetite for new cars and utility vehicles. This clearly helped preserve tens of thousands of jobs in the automotive industry.

   As he did during the first half of his term, Senator Recto tops his colleagues in the number of bills enacted into law. Whatever the nature of the law, he sees to it that interests of less-privileged Filipinos are served.

   The Rental Reform Law is one of the social legislation with direct beneficial impact to middle and lower classes nationwide. By putting a cap on the allowable increase in rent, the law protected residential tenants and small mom-and-pops businesses against skyrocketing rent for three years until 2008. Likewise, millions of students were spared excessive dormitory fees.

   For safe and modern passenger travel and cargo shipment, Recto sponsored the Domestic Shipping Act and Overseas Shipping Act. These help lower costs of shipping operators that translate to stable passenger fares and cargo freight.

   The Sin Taxes Law or excise taxes on alcohol and cigarettes responded to public health concerns in addition to raising government revenue. It also gave equitable treatment to both imported and domestic goods that in turn preserved jobs among manufacturers of foreign brands as well as indigenous ones.

   Increased tax revenues are attributed to the Lateral Attrition Law which granted rewards whenever the BIR or Customs surpass their collection targets.

   The recently implemented Reformed Value Added Tax Law will raise more revenues. Recto ensured that portions of the incremental collection from VAT will be allocated to health and education. Most important, the R-VAT impressed our creditors with our ability to erase our deficit such that they raised the Philippines' credit-worthiness rating.

   Confident of expanding government revenue, he proposed increasing the compensation of government workers. He proposed a P2,000 increase in monthly wages across-the-board and a P1,000 additional monthly allowance, He knows that apart from easing workers' economic burden, better pay would result to better public service and governance.

   Notching good scores is not strange to him ever since he joined Congress as the youngest solon in 1992, winning succeeding terms in landslide victories.

   Senator Recto holds two masteral degrees - one from the University of the Philippines in Diliman for Public Administration and the other from the University of Asia and the Pacific for Strategic Business Economics.

   Born on January 11, 1964 in Manila, he is married to multi-awarded actress Vilma Santos-Recto, now Mayor of Lipa City. He is a doting father to Ryan Christian and Luis Philippe "Lucky" Manzano.

   His political lineage commenced from the late nationalist statesman Claro Mayo Recto, himself descended from the patriotic Mayo and Recto clans of Luzon, His father Lawyer Rafael Recto was an Assemblyman in the Regular Batasang Pambansa. Elder brother Richard is now vice-governor of Batangas.