Press Release - Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa sponsorship speech

Mr. President, it was in the year 1860 when a Swiss chemist discovered DNA. In 1986, the year I graduated from the Philippine Military Academy, DNA was used to solve a murder case in the United States of America. Today, thirty seven years later, I stand before this august body to sponsor Senate Bill No. 2474 under Committee Report No. 161, entitled "An Act Establishing the Philippine National Police Forensic DNA Database, Appropriating Funds Therefor" or the "PNP Forensic DNA Database Act". I believe it is not a coincidence, Mr. President.

Deoxyribonucleic (dee-ok-see-ray-bo-nook-lee-ayk) Acid or DNA is a genetic code that can be found anywhere in which a person has been in contact with - either a person or a thing. The DNA that is found in every nucleated cell of the human body can be collected from people's skin, blood, saliva and bone.

Kung noon po ay isang foreign o alien concept ang "DNA", sa pagdaan po ng mga panahon, sa tulong na rin ng telebisyon at social media, unti-unti na rin po itong nauunawaan ng ating mga kababayan. Hindi na rin po mabilang ang mga pelikula o mga telenovela kung saan ang tema o plot ay may nagkapalit na mga sanggol mula pagkabata at magtatagpo sa isang happy ending.

Ngunit marahil ay pinaka naging popular po ang DNA nitong mga nakaraang taon lamang, noong unang maipalabas sa telebisyon ng programa ng iginagalang na broadcaster na si Ms. Jessica Soho ang kauna-unahang documented case ng "baby-switching" sa ating bansa. Sinubaybayan po ito ng ating mga kababayan ng higit sa isang buwan. Bagama't pinahahalagahan ng ating kultura ang tinatawag na "lukso ng dugo", ang kasong nabanggit ay naresolba pa rin sa pamamagitan ng siyensiya--ng DNA testing.

More than being instrumental in reuniting loved ones, the DNA [Database] will also help us in times of calamities, Mr. President. Under the proposed measure, the DNA database system will be used to assist our government in the identification of missing persons or unidentified human remains, such as victims of natural disasters.

Marahil ay kulang ang salita upang mailarawan ang sakit na nadarama ng isang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. Lalo't higit kung ang pagkakasawi ay dinulot ng isang trahedya