19 November 2012
PNA (Philippines News Agency)
PHILNA
English
(c) 2012 Philippines News Agency
MANILA, Nov. 19 — Amid heated debates on the Reproductive Health and Sin Tax bills, the Senate took time to pass on Monday on third and final reading a measure granting Filipino citizenship to Indian philanthropist Gulshan Bedi. Under House Bill No. 2088 which was sponsored by Senator Francis Escudero, Bedi has been granted Philippine citizenship due to ‘his deep commitment to the Filipino people.’ Bedi, an Indian by birth, came to live in the Philippines in 1983 when he married Teresita Briones of Sagay, Negros Occidental. Establishing a name in the business sector, Bedi is presently the senior vice president for strategic marketing and business development at the Fil-Estate Urban Development Corp., senior vice president for marketing, sales and PR business development for markets at Camp John Hay Development Corp., and vice president for marketing and business development at the Fil-Estate Group of Companies.
Escudero said Bedi has been deeply involved in the community and nation-building of the country. As an adviser to Philippine Retirement Authority chairman, retired Police Gen. Edgar Aglipay, Bedi drew in retirees from Japan, Korea and the United States to boost tourism in the Philippines. He was also instrumental via consultancy and seed-money funding to the entry of electric vehicles, particularly E-tricycles plying routes in Fort Bonifacio and Ateneo. ‘Bedi is a consistent financial donor to various schools in Negros: Laon Elementary School, Maria Lopez Elementary and Sagay National High School,’ Escudero said. ‘This bill proposes that Mr. Gulshan Bedi be granted by Congress the honor of Philippine citizenship with all the rights, privileges and prerogatives appurtenant to the same conditions as provided under the Constitution,’ he added.
Published by HT Syndication with permission from Philippines News Agency