List of female senators of the Philippines

This is a list of women senators of the Philippines. It is a guide to identify the women in the Philippines who has served as senators in the Senate of the Philippines, as distinct from the existing whole list of Philippine senators.

Since 1947, there have been 23 Filipino women senators in Philippine history. In the current 18th Congress, there are 7 incumbent female senators.

History

The first female senator elected in the Philippines was Geronima Pecson, who reaped the third largest number of votes during the Philippine senatorial elections of 1947. During her senatorial term, Pecson headed the Senate Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Health and Public Welfare, and the Joint Congressional Committee on Education.[1]

Eva Estrada-Kalaw was the first woman to be re-elected as senator.

Nikki Coseteng was the youngest senator during the 9th and 10th Congress. She was first elected in 1992 and then re-elected in 1995.

Loren Legarda is the first Filipino woman senator to top the Senate race twice in 1998 and 2007. She also became the first Filipino woman to become Majority Floor Leader of the Senate. She was also the youngest senator during the 11th Congress.

Pia Cayetano is the youngest woman elected senator in Philippine history at the age of 38. She was elected in 2004, then re-elected in 2010. She returned to the Senate in 2019.

Loi Ejercito Estrada became the first First Spouse (to Joseph Ejercito Estrada) to be elected in the Senate. She served from 2001 to 2007 after her husband's removal from the presidency in 2001.

Leticia Ramos-Shahani became the first Filipino woman to become President pro tempore of the Senate in 1993.

Santanina Rasul is the first Filipina Muslim senator.

Tecla San Andres Ziga was the first woman in the Philippines to top the bar examinations for law degree graduates. She was elected as a senator in 1963.[2]

Miriam Defensor Santiago was the first Filipino and first Asian from a developing country to be elected as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on December 12, 2011.[3][4] She later resigned the post due to chronic fatigue syndrome, which turned out to be lung cancer.[5][6]

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the first female senator who was elected as vice-president (1998–2001) and later installed to the presidency (2001–2010).

Risa Hontiveros is the Philippines' first socialist woman senator, representing the Akbayan party-list.

Female senators

 *  denotes incumbent senator
# Senator Full name Election Years in service Congress Prior political experience Party
1 Magnolia Antonino Magnolia Rodriguez Welborn-Antonino 1967 1967–1972 6th, 7th None Nacionalista
2 Tessie Aquino-Oreta Maria Teresa Aquino Aquino-Oreta 1998 1998–2004 11th
12th
Representative, Malabon-Navotas's lone district (1987–1998) LDP
3 Helena Z. Benitez Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez 1967 1967–1972 6th, 7th Nacionalista
4 Nancy Binay Maria Lourdes Nancy Sombillo Binay Angeles 2013 2013–present 16th
17th
18th
Personal assistant to Vice President Jejomar Binay (2010–2013) UNA
5 Pia Cayetano Pilar Juliana Schramm Cayetano 2004
2010
2019
2004–2016
2019–present
13th
14th
15th
16th
18th
Representative, Taguig Lone district (2016–2019) Nacionalista
6 Nikki Coseteng Anna Dominique Marquez-Lim Coseteng 1992
1995
1992–2001 9th
10th
11th
Representative, Quezon City's 3rd district (1987–1992) NPC
7 Leila de Lima Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima 2016 2016–present 17th, 18th Secretary of Justice (2010–2015) Liberal
8 Miriam Defensor-Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago 1995
2004
2010
1995–2001
2004–2016
10th
11th
13th
14th
15th
16th
Secretary of Agrarian Reform (1989–1990) PRP
9 Loi Ejercito Luisa Fernandez Pimentel-Ejercito 2001 2001–2007 12th, 13th First Lady of the Philippines (1998–2001) Independent (to 2004)
PMP
10 Eva Estrada-Kalaw Eva Reynada Estrada-Kalaw 1965
1971
1965–1972 6th, 7th Nacionalista
11 Risa Hontiveros Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel 2016 2016–present 17th, 18th Representative, Akbayan (2004–2010) Akbayan
12 Maria Kalaw-Katigbak Maria Villanueva Kalaw-Katigbak 1961 1961–1967 5th, 6th None Liberal
13 Loren Legarda Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda 1998
2007
2013
1998–2004,
2007–2019
11th, 12th, 14th, 15th,
16th, 17th
None Lakas (to 2003)
Independent (2004)
NPC (2nd term)
14 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Gloria Macapagal Arroyo 1992
1995
1992–1998 9th, 10th Undersecretary of Trade and Industry (1989–1992) Lakas
15 Jamby Madrigal Maria Ana Consuelo Abad Santos Madrigal-Valade 2004 2004–2010 13th
14th
Presidential Adviser for Children's Affairs (1999–2001) LDP (to 2007)
PDP–Laban (to 2009)
Independent
16 Imee Marcos María Imelda Josefa "Imee" Romualdez Marcos 2019 2019–present 18th Member of the Philippine House of Representatives
from Ilocos Norte's 2nd district (1998–2007)
Governor of Ilocos Norte (2010–2019)
Nacionalista
17 Pacita Madrigal-Warns Maria Paz Paterno Madrigal-Warns 1955 1955–1961 3rd, 4th Secretary of Social Welfare and Development (1953–1955) Nacionalista
18 Geronima Pecson Geronima Palisoc Tomelden Pecson 1947 1947–1953 1st, 2nd Assistant Executive Secretary to President Manuel Roxas Liberal
19 Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe Llamanzares 2013
2019
2013–present 16th, 17th, 18th Chair, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (2010–2012) Independent
20 Leticia Ramos-Shahani Leticia Valdez Ramos-Shahani 1987
1992
1987–1998 8th, 9th, 10th Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs (1981–1986) LDP (to 1992)
Lakas
21 Nina Rasul Santanina Centi Tillah Rasul 1987
1992
1987–1995 8th, 9th Commissioner for Muslim and Other Ethnic Minorities (1978–1987) Liberal (to 1992)
Lakas
22 Cynthia Villar Cynthia Ampaya Aguilar Villar 2013
2019
2013-present 16th, 17th, 18th Representative, Las Piñas's lone district (2001–2010) Nacionalista
23 Tecla Ziga Tecla San Andres-Ziga 1963 1963–1969 5th, 6th Secretary of Social Welfare and Development (1962–1963) Liberal

Living former female senators

As of May 2020, there are 6 living former female senators:

  1. Nina Rasul (born September 14, 1930) — 90 years, 142 days
  2. Loi Estrada (born June 3, 1930) — 90 years, 245 days
  3. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (born April 5, 1947) — 73 years, 304 days
  4. Nikki Coseteng (born December 18, 1952) — 68 years, 47 days
  5. Jamby Madrigal (born April 26, 1958) — 62 years, 283 days
  6. Loren Legarda (born January 28, 1960) — 61 years, 6 days

The most recent female senator to die was 75-year-old Tessie Aquino-Oreta who served from 1998-2004.

Time series

Imee MarcosPia CayetanoRisa HontiverosLeila de LimaCynthia VillarGrace PoeNancy BinayLoren LegardaMiriam Defensor SantiagoPia CayetanoJamby MadrigalLoi EjercitoLoren LegardaTeresa Aquino-OretaMiriam Defensor SantiagoGloria Macapagal ArroyoNikki CosetengNina RasulLeticia Ramos-ShahaniHelena BenitezMagnolia AntoninoEva Estrada KalawTecla San Andres ZigaMaria Kalaw KatigbakPacita Madrigal-WarnsGeronima Pecson

Per Congress

CongressSessionComposition
1st Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
0 / 24
3rd–4th
1 / 24
2nd Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
3rd–4th
1 / 24
3rd Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
3rd–4th
1 / 24
4th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
3rd–4th
1 / 24
5th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
3rd–4th
2 / 24
6th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
3 / 24
3rd–4th
3 / 24
7th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
3 / 24
3rd–4th
3 / 24
8th Congress of the Philippines
2 / 24
9th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
10th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
11th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
12th Congress of the Philippines
3 / 24
13th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
14th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
15th Congress of the Philippines
3 / 24
16th Congress of the Philippines
6 / 24
17th Congress of the Philippines
6 / 24
18th Congress of the Philippines
7 / 24

References

  1. "Senators Profile - Geronima T. Pecson". www.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  2. "Senators Profile - Tecla San Andres Ziga". www.senate.gov.ph. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  3. "Press Release - Revilla: Press statement on Senator Santiago's election as ICC judge". www.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  4. "Press Release - Revilla: Press statement on Senator Santiago's election as ICC judge". www.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  5. "It's final: Miriam steps down as ICC judge". Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  6. "Miriam Santiago: I have lung cancer". Retrieved October 2, 2016.
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