He sponsored or authored more than 340 measures, which include landmark measures on transitioning to the K to 12 Program; making kindergarten accessible to Filipino families; providing free college tuition in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); building child development centers (CDCs) across the country; establishing a more targeted student financial assistance system; institutionalizing and raising the allowance of teachers for their supplies in the classroom; granting student fare discounts all-year-round; developing different education pathways for alternative learning, distance education, and ladderized programs; and implementing a nationwide policy against bullying.

Sec. Angara hails from a family of educators. His mother, Gloria Manalang-Angara, taught at the International School (IS) and devoted two decades to being an educator. His father, the late Senate President Edgardo J. Angara, served as the President of the University of the Philippines, authored laws such as the Free High School Act (RA 6655), and the GASTPE Law (RA 6728), and chaired the First Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 1), which proposed the establishment of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Sec. Angara also worked as a lecturer on law at the New Era University and the Centro Escolar University.

Senator Sonny is a graduate of Xavier School, the London School of Economics, the University of the Philippines College of Law, and Harvard Law School. He has been a regular newspaper columnist. He was the co-team captain of the Senate Defenders, the official basketball team of the Senate.

He is happily married to wife Tootsy and they have three children.

“Education is a pillar of our nation’s progress. It is only through a nation’s efforts that education will be improved and made more effective. I hope we can all work together.”