(UPDATE) SENATE President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez agreed to a truce, temporarily stopping the Charter-Change (Cha-cha) row in Congress.

"Good news, I talked today with Speaker Romualdez and agreed to work professionally and stop the ongoing squabble for the benefit of the administration and the Filipino people," said Zubiri, adding he shook hands with Romualdez in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the 100th birthday celebration of Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile in Malacañang on Wednesday.

JPE'S DAY Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile celebrates his birthday with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Marie Louise 'Liza' Araneta-Marcos and senators.

Enrile advised Zubiri and Romualdez to support the Marcos administration.

Marcos issued a warm greeting for Enrile, who turned 100 years old on Valentine's Day.

The President said that Enrile, whose full name is Juan Valentin Furugganan Ponce Enrile Sr., "has attained the status of an icon in the pantheon of Philippine history."

"To have a life that has reached 100 years that is full of achievement, that is full of purpose, that is full of service, that is full of duty makes this celebration a more remarkable one than it would normally be," Marcos said in a lunch in honor of Enrile.

Enrile, who finished his tenure as Senate president in 2016, started his government service as undersecretary of finance on Jan. 16, 1966.

He went on to hold numerous high-ranking positions in the government, including acting Finance secretary and concurrent acting insurance commissioner, commissioner of Customs, and acting chairman of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of the Philippines from 1966 to 1968.

Enrile also served as justice secretary from 1968 to 1970 and minister of National Defense during the term of the President's father and namesake, Ferdinand Sr.

He served as a representative of the 1st District of Cagayan province and later as a senator. He served four terms in the Senate.

"We had the privilege to work with him. So, we're all very happy to be here today to celebrate — and I must say it is a distinct and singular pleasure to be able to host Tito Johnny here on his centennial birthday," Marcos said.

"It really is more remarkable not just — you know, people who have survived a hundred years, we already applaud them just for surviving a hundred years," he added.

After several years of hiatus, Enrile returned to public service as the Palace's top lawyer in July 2022 at 98 years old.

"He is a remarkable person, and I'm just so happy to have known him. I must admit, to have him in my corner allows me to sleep better at night," the President said.

During Enrile's birthday, Marcos conferred a Presidential Letter of Felicitation on him.

Enrile thanked the Marcoses for giving him the opportunity to serve the country.

"I would like to thank your father and your mother for what they did to make me what I am today before you. The happiest moment of my life was when I served the first presidency of a Marcos president, and the second time is now that I'm serving the son of that president, our President Bongbong Marcos," he said.

The Office of the President earlier hailed Enrile for his tireless efforts in serving the country and for being a constant inspiration to every Filipino.

Enrile is entitled to receive the P100,000 centenarian cash gift from the government.

Republic Act 10868 mandates that all Filipinos age 100, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, are entitled to receive a one-time cash gift of P100,000 from the national government.

A total of P186 million was earmarked as a tax-free cash gift for Filipino centenarians in the 2024 General Appropriations Act.

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