2 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Reg ular ▁Session ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁Congress , ▁Rect o ▁was ▁elected ▁Senate ▁President ▁Pro - Temp ore , ▁the ▁second ▁highest ▁post ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁and ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Committee ▁on ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology ▁and ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁powerful ▁b ic amer al ▁Commission ▁on ▁App oint ments . ▁ ▁His ▁legisl ative ▁accomplish ments ▁during ▁this ▁period ▁include ▁author ship ▁of ▁laws ▁on ▁institution al ization ▁of ▁Kinder g arten , ▁implementation ▁of ▁K ▁to ▁ 1 2 , ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁corpor ate ▁life ▁of ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁National ▁Rail ways ▁( PN R ), ▁increasing ▁the ▁tax - ex empt ▁ce iling ▁on ▁ 1 3 th ▁month ▁pay , ▁Christmas ▁bonus ▁and ▁other ▁benefits , ▁mand atory ▁P H IL HE AL TH ▁coverage ▁for ▁senior ▁citizens , ▁additional ▁benefits ▁for ▁Pers ons ▁with ▁Dis abilities ▁( P WD s ), ▁P AG AS A ▁modern ization , ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁Agricult ural ▁Compet it iveness ▁En h ancement ▁Fund ▁( ACE F ) ▁and ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁( AF P ) ▁modern ization , ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Information ▁and ▁Communic ations ▁Technology ▁( DI CT ), ▁and ▁Custom s ▁Modern ization ▁and ▁Tar iff ▁Act . ▁ ▁Rect o ▁participated ▁and ▁was ▁very ▁vocal ▁during ▁the ▁Senate ▁hear ings