Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. issued the statement in his year-end report where he also paid tribute to his colleagues in the 23-member Senate for its record feat of approving 45 national and local bills on third and final reading.

"Let the Senate’s record performance speak for its unwavering commitment to performing its constitutional mandate. The Senate has heeded the challenge for the passage of meaningful measures, and it has succeeded in bringing forth unity and cohesion, not division or dissension, through responsible legislation," Villar said.

Villar, taking over last July the Senate presidency from Sen. Franklin M. Drilon following a term-sharing agreement during the current 13th Congress, steered the chamber into passing on third and final reading a total of 19 bills of national importance, and 26 local bills from the House of Representatives.

When it went into a week-long holiday recess starting yesterday, the Senate failed to pass on second reading the Anti-Terror Bill, although Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, main sponsor of the bill, accepted last Wednesday night three major amendments proposed by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr.

"Let me make it clear that we, in the Senate, stand solidly against hasty Charter Change at this time. We have said so time and again," Villar said.

Crossing party lines, senators had adopted a slew of resolutions expressing the Senate’s unwavering stand against Cha-cha, Villar stressed.

Malacañang had earlier said that the move to have the Constitution amended would resume in January, an announcement denounced by Pimentel as another round of Cha-cha attempt after the first round was defeated by both the Senate and the Supreme Court.

As early as the second regular session that began from July, 2005, to June, 2006, the Senate adopted Resolution 75, expressing the chamber’s stand that any proposed amendment to, or revision of the Constitution, requires the approval of the Senate and the House of Representatives voting separately.

"Our stand even became more crystal- clear when we adopted Senate Resolution 102 for this chamber to intervene in the special civil action for certiorari and mandamus filed with the Supreme Court," Villar said.

The Senate chief said the Senate also adopted Resolution 599, expressing their stand that any attempt to unilaterally propose amendments without the approval by three-fourths of the Senate voting separately is unconstitutional.

Villar said this month would be remembered what had transpired outside the halls of the Senate.

"We have just gone through tumultuous weeks of uncalled for and politically divisive moves to drastically change our Constitution," he said.

Villar said such devious maneuvers nearly plunged the country in a political crisis that could have severely undermined the economic gains achieved in the past.

"I am glad that this unwanted political crisis over the Charter Change is over. Sana tapos na nga(I hope it’s really over,). The nation can have a peaceful Christmas, and look forward to a better New Year," he stressed.

Malacanang and the House were forced to dump Cha-Ccha because of the "tremendous public outrage against thei House’s brazen acts to alter the Constitution for ulterior motives other than the national interest," he said.

And for this, the administration should heed the lessons learned from this episode in the country’s political drama, he stressed.ned.

"The first lesson to be learned from these events in December is this: The people are watching us. Contrary to popular perception that they have become cynical over matters that concern government, they are not. They are very much aware of what is happening in government. They are vigilant. They seek moral leadership and principled governance based on national interest," Villar said.

"They can discern the true from the false, the right from the wrong, and the good from the bad. Their collective action, their outrage against the Cha-Ccha scheme serves as wake-up call for all of us who were given mandates to lead and govern," he stressed.

"Surely, we in the Senate and our colleagues in the House and those in the Executive and the Judiciary branches of government should take heed and learns lessons," he added.

Villar then thanked the Filipino people for standing by the Senate and the media for their vigilant, fair, and transparent reporting of the event as it happened where it happened.

"What remains very clear to me, therefore, is that our people continue to have high regard for who we are, what we represent, and where we must lead the nation in the coming years. That respect and continued trust for this institution are very reassuring and encouraging, and I must say, a much- appreciated Christmas gift of the nation to the Senate of the Philippines. This is lesson No.2: Be ever thankful to the people who handed the reins of leadership to us," he said.

Villar said the Senate has delivered on its commitment to be more responsive and productive.

"We outlined our priority legislation in the areas of education, health and housing, agriculture, the plight of our overseas Filipino workers, the environment, cheap energy, investment, electoral reforms, and the fight against global terrorism, among other vital concerns," he said.

Villar then expressed his gratitude to his colleagues for the support they have given him.

"I know that whatever we have achieved so far is always a reflection of our collective effort to do right for our people," he said.