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 .
Since 1947, there have been 23 Filipino women senators in Philippine history . In the ongoing 19th Congress , there are 7 incumbent female senators.
History
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.
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] 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).
Risa Hontiveros is the Philippines' first socialist woman senator, representing the Akbayan party.
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 2019
2013–present
16th , 17th 18th , 19th
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 , 19th
Representative, Taguig 's 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
2016–2022
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 2022
2016–present
17th , 18th , 19th
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 2022
1998–2004, 2007–2019, 2022–present
11th , 12th , 14th , 15th ,16th , 17th , 19th
Representative, Antique's Lone district (2019–2022)
Lakas (to 2003)
Independent (2004)
NPC (2nd/3rd/4th terms)
14
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg 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
Pacita Madrigal-Warns
Maria Paz Paterno Madrigal-Warns
1955
1955–1961
3rd , 4th
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development (1953–1955)
Nacionalista
17
Imee Marcos
Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios Romualdez Marcos
2019
2019–present
18th , 19th
Representative, Ilocos Norte 's 2nd district (1998–2007) Governor of Ilocos Norte (2010–2019)
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 , 19th
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 , 19th
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
Timeline of female senators
Per Congress
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