Profile: Senator Pia S. Cayetano

She is the youngest woman elected in the history of the Philippine Senate. A lawyer, triathlete and mother of two, Senator Pia S. Cayetano is constantly proving there’s no limit to what Filipino women can set out to do and achieve.

Pia was voted to the Senate in 2004 with an overwhelming mandate despite entering the political arena as a total neophyte. She ran on a platform promoting health, education, environment, youth and women’s empowerment in a bid to continue the legacy of her highly esteemed father, the late Senator Compañero Rene L. Cayetano.

Pia has been responsible for sponsoring and authoring laws and bills such as the “Magna Carta of Women” which aims to end all forms of gender discrimination; “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009” which seeks to reconstitute the Bureau of Food and Drugs into the FDA and strengthen its capacity to go after counterfeit medicines and other violative health products; “Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law of 2008″ which provides mechanisms to ensure people’s access to affordable but quality drugs; “Renewable Energy Act of 2008” which promotes the development, utilization, and commercialization of renewable energy sources in the Philippines; “Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2007″ which integrates environmental education at each school level; “Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act” which seeks to reestablish the culture of breastfeeding as the normal, natural and preferred method of feeding infants and young children and to provide specific measures to enable working mothers to continue breastfeeding; the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act” which provides more benefits for our elderly and exempts senior citizens from the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services; the “Hospital Detention Law” which protects indigent patients from the unjustifiable practice of some hospitals which refuse to discharge patients due to unsettled hospital bills; the bill creating a “Persons with Disability Affairs Office” to ensure the delivery of programs and services to persons with disabilities; and several protected area laws, all of which endeavor to maintain the essential ecological processes and life-support systems of each area, to preserve genetic diversity, to ensure sustainable uses of resources found therein, and to maintain their natural conditions to the greatest extent possible.

For four years, Pia chaired the Senate Committees on Health and Demography and Environment and Natural Resources until she relinquished these posts during the leadership change in the Senate in November 2008. But losing her chairmanships did not prevent Pia from pursuing her advocacies on health and environment, as well as the most vulnerable sectors in society, namely, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. She currently chairs the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development.

Pia brought honor to the country after being elected President of the Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). This is the highest position ever achieved by a Filipino in the 119-year-old IPU, considered as the “United Nations” of parliamentarians around the world.

Outside the Senate halls, Pia has been actively promoting her various advocacies. These include: “Pinay in Action” which provides a venue for women to take on a healthy lifestyle and information to promote women’s empowerment; “Bike for Hope” which raises community awareness on pressing health and environmental issues; and the “12-hour Multi-Sport Event in Memory of Gabriel” which supports differently abled children in memory of her son who died from multiple complications of a rare chromosomal ailment in 2001.

A professional triathlete, Pia advocates sports as part of a holistic youth development program and in promoting a fit and healthy lifestyle. She’s an avid participant of various marathons and bike runs for health and environment causes in Metro Manila and the provinces. She actively joins local and international sporting events, including marathon, triathlon, duathlon, and ironman competitions. She is a proud finisher of the Tokyo Marathon, New York Marathon, Venice Marathon, Western Australia Ironman, Aviva Ironman 70.3 in Singapore, and the Cobra Ironman 70.3 in Camarines Sur, among others. The youngest member and captain of the Philippine volleyball team in her college days, the lady senator continues to support local athletes and programs aimed at discovering young sports talents.

Whether on the Senate floor defending a measure, out in the communities to raise awareness on health, women empowerment and the environment, or when leading sports activities for a cause, Pia is driven by the same passion and work ethics that has made her among the country’s most accomplished young leaders. The daughter of the late “Compañero” has come into her own and has made her mark in the Philippine Senate and the nation’s consciousness. #

Media officer
Mike Ac-ac, mobile 09178335000, email media@senatorpiacayetano.com

This is part of our celebration this Women’s Month, and my way of thanking all of you, my sisters, who helped me become a better person and feminist. Thanks especially to my mentors and role model — Oyie de Dios, Lucy Lazo, Carol Sobritchea, Myrna Feliciano, and Teret Balayon. Thanks also to my friends Miyen, Beth A., Jean, Junice.

And to my friends in the Asia Cause Lawyers Network and the UN Expert Group Meeting in Vienna (May 2008), thank you for your support and inputs for my book.

The massacre in Maguindanao of about 57 people, 28 of whom were journalists and at least 6 of whom were women on November 23, 2009 is unprecedented in the history of Philippine politics. witnesses point to the powerful Ampatuan clan who ordered the murder of 4 women of the Magudadatu clan who were with their two women lawyers, Atty. Connie Brisuelas and Atty. Cynthia Oquendo, who were abducted on their way to the COmelec to file the certificate of candidacy of Toto Mangudadatu, a vice mayor who was contesting the governatorial post held by the Ampatuan clan.
The women were raped, tortured and murdered.

PResident Gloria M. Arroyo proclamed Martial Law in Maguindanao, which under our Constitution can only be done if there is invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it.

The Department of Justice has filed charges of rebellion.

We should protest this, and let our voices be heard by our representatives and senators, and in the whole world– NEVER AGAIN TO MARTIAL LAW.

Today, Dec 10, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines marched to the Supreme Court with banners saying NO TO MARTIAL LAW, and to file a petition for intervention versus the Department of Justice Secretary, et al. The IBP will be counsel for the heirs of the two women who were raped, tortured and murdered.

Photos will be posted in the gallery soon.

It was great to see classmates I have not seen for 25 years! Among them, Bing Betita, Cleto Evangelista, Richie Diaz who lives in California. Good to see you again Jeng! The last time we met was in 95, after I left Harvard.

Dean Froilan Bacungan was there. He was the Dean when we were in our first year. Dean Bart Carale was Dean when we graduated.

Our guest of honor was Prof. Araceli Baviera, who is nearly 90. She gave a short and sentimental speech, emphasizing that her wealth are her students. We love you m’aam!

Members of the IBP may get their copy from the IBP Journal Office, IBP Building, Julia Vargas Avenue, Pasig City.

Also, in 2008 Justice Alicia Austria-Martinez penned the Supreme Court decision Go-Tan vs. Tan, where the Supreme Court held that the parents of the husband may be named respondents in a protection order petition because they conspired to commit psychological violence upon the woman.  The Supreme Court applied conspiracy in the Revised Penal Code suppletorily to RA No. 9262, and used the liberal construction of the law.

Will post this article in this weblog by July 2009.

I will be posting it in this website after it is published.