List of female senators of the Philippines

Last updated

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

Contents

Since 1947, there have been 24 Filipino women senators in Philippine history. In the ongoing 20th Congress, there are 5 incumbent female senators.

History

Female senators of the 17th congress in 2018. Lady Senators 3rd Regular Session 17th Congress of the Senate 2018.jpg
Female senators of the 17th congress in 2018.

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. She is currently serving her fourth term as a senator, making her the longest-serving female senator in the Philippines.

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. Upon her reelection in 2025, she became the second woman to be elected to a fourth term as senator.

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] She later resigned the post due to suspected ME/CFS, which turned out to be lung cancer. [4] [5]

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the first female senator who was elected as Vice President (1998–2001) and later installed to the presidency (2001–2010) and first female Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (2018-2019).

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

Female senators

 *  denotes incumbent senator
#SenatorFull nameElectionYears in serviceCongressPrior political experienceParty
Geronima Pecson Geronima Palisoc Tomelden Pecson1947–1953 1st, 2nd Assistant Executive Secretary to President Manuel Roxas Liberal
Pacita Madrigal-Warns Maria Paz Paterno Madrigal-Warns1955–1961 3rd, 4th Secretary of Social Welfare and Development (1953–1955) Nacionalista
Maria Kalaw-Katigbak Maria Villanueva Kalaw-Katigbak1961–1967 5th, 6th None Liberal
Tecla Ziga Tecla San Andres-Ziga1963–1969 5th, 6th Secretary of Social Welfare and Development (1962–1963) Liberal
Eva Estrada-Kalaw Eva Reynada Estrada-Kalaw1965–1972 6th, 7th Nacionalista
Magnolia Antonino Magnolia Rodriguez Welborn-Antonino1967–1972 6th, 7th Representative, from La Union's 1st district (1965–1967) Nacionalista
Helena Z. Benitez Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez1967–1972 6th, 7th Nacionalista
Leticia Ramos-Shahani Leticia Valdez Ramos-Shahani1987–1998 8th, 9th, 10th Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs (1981–1986) LDP (to 1992)
Lakas
Nina Rasul Santanina Centi Tillah Rasul1987–1995 8th, 9th Commissioner for Muslim and Other Ethnic Minorities (1978–1987) Liberal (to 1992)
Lakas
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo1992–1998 9th, 10th Undersecretary of Trade and Industry (1989–1992) Lakas
Nikki Coseteng Anna Dominique Marquez-Lim Coseteng1992–2001 9th
10th
11th
Representative, Quezon City's 3rd district (1987–1992) NPC
Miriam Defensor-Santiago Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago1995–2001
2004–2016
10th
11th
13th
14th
15th
16th
Secretary of Agrarian Reform (1989–1990) PRP
Loren Legarda Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda1998–2004,
2007–2019,
2022–present
11th, 12th, 14th, 15th,
16th, 17th, 19th,
20th
Representative, Antique's Lone district (2019–2022) Lakas (to 2003)
Independent (2004)
NPC (2nd/3rd/4th terms)
Tessie Aquino-Oreta Maria Teresa Aquino Aquino-Oreta1998–2004 11th
12th
Representative, Malabon-Navotas's lone district (1987–1998) LDP
Loi Ejercito Luisa Fernandez Pimentel-Ejercito2001–2007 12th, 13th First Lady of the Philippines (1998–2001) Independent (to 2004)
PMP
Jamby Madrigal Maria Ana Consuelo Abad Santos Madrigal-Valade2004–2010 13th
14th
Presidential Adviser for Children's Affairs (1999–2001) LDP (to 2007)
PDP–Laban (to 2009)
Independent
Pia Cayetano Pilar Juliana Schramm Cayetano2004–2016
2019–present
13th, 14th
15th, 16th
18th
19th
20th
Representative, Taguig's Lone district (2016–2019) Nacionalista
Grace Poe Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe Llamanzares2013–2025 16th, 17th,
18th, 19th
Chair, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (2010–2012) Independent
Nancy Binay Maria Lourdes Nancy Sombillo Binay Angeles2013–2025 16th, 17th
18th, 19th
Personal assistant to Vice President Jejomar Binay (2010–2013) UNA
Cynthia Villar Cynthia Ampaya Aguilar Villar2013-2025 16th, 17th,
18th, 19th
Representative, Las Piñas's lone district (2001–2010) Nacionalista
Risa Hontiveros Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel2016–present 17th, 18th,
19th, 20th
Representative, Akbayan (2004–2010) Akbayan
Leila de Lima Leila Norma Eulalia Josefa Magistrado de Lima2016–2022 17th, 18th Secretary of Justice (2010–2015) Liberal
Imee Marcos Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios Romualdez Marcos2019–present 18th, 19th
20th
Representative, Ilocos Norte's 2nd district (1998–2007)
Governor of Ilocos Norte (2010–2019)
Nacionalista
Camille Villar Camille Aguilar Villar2025–present 20th Representative, Las Piñas's lone district (2019-2025) Nacionalista

Timeline of female senators

Camille VillarLoren LegardaImee 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 PecsonList of female senators of the Philippines

Per Congress

Women voted for their right suffrage and to run for public office in the 1937 Philippine women's suffrage plebiscite. The National Assembly was a unicameral legislature at this time. The 1940 Philippine constitutional plebiscites restored, among other things, the bicameral Congress, and the Senate was first elected in 1941.

ElectionElectedCongressSessionComposition
1941
0 / 24
1st Commonwealth Congress
0 / 24
1946
0 / 24
2nd Commonwealth Congress 1st–2nd
0 / 24
1st Congress of the Philippines
1947
1 / 16
3rd–4th
1 / 24
1949
0 / 8
2nd Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
1951
0 / 9
3rd–4th
1 / 24
1953
0 / 8
3rd Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
0 / 24
1955
1 / 9
3rd–4th
1 / 24
1957
0 / 8
4th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
1959
0 / 8
3rd–4th
1 / 24
1961
1 / 8
5th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
1 / 24
1963
1 / 8
3rd–4th
2 / 24
1965
1 / 8
6th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
3 / 24
1967
1 / 8
3rd–4th
3 / 24
1969
0 / 8
7th Congress of the Philippines 1st–2nd
3 / 24
1971
1 / 8
3rd–4th
3 / 24
1987
2 / 24
8th Congress of the Philippines
2 / 24
1992
4 / 24
9th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
1995
3 / 12
10th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
1998
2 / 12
11th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
2001
1 / 13
12th Congress of the Philippines
3 / 24
2004
3 / 12
13th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
2007
1 / 12
14th Congress of the Philippines
4 / 24
2010
2 / 12
15th Congress of the Philippines
3 / 24
2013
4 / 12
16th Congress of the Philippines
6 / 24
2016
2 / 12
17th Congress of the Philippines
6 / 24
2019
5 / 12
18th Congress of the Philippines
7 / 24
2022
2 / 12
19th Congress of the Philippines
7 / 24
2025
3 / 12
20th Congress of the Philippines
5 / 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". Senate.gov.ph. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  4. "It's final: Miriam steps down as ICC judge" . Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  5. "Miriam Santiago: I have lung cancer" . Retrieved October 2, 2016.