Loren Legarda
Encyclopedia
Loren Legarda is a Filipino
broadcast journalist, environmentalist
, and politician
of Visayan ancestry, notable as the only female to top two senatorial elections (1998
and 2007). During the 2004 Philippine general election, she ran for the position of Vice-President as an Independent
with Fernando Poe, Jr.
as running mate and again during the 2010 Philippine presidential election
, for the same position as a member of the NPC
with Manny Villar
. She is considered as one of the five most influential women in the Philippines.
and has numerous achievements in the fields of social development and human rights
advocacy along with her work in journalism
. As a journalist
, she has received many awards. In 2008, she was chosen as "United Nations
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Asia Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation". She was a member of the Philippine delegation during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit
.
as Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda, the only daughter of Antonio Cabrera Legarda of San Pablo
, Laguna, and Bessie Gella Bautista of Malabon
. Her maternal grandfather was Jose P. Bautista, an editor of the pre-Martial Law newspaper, The Manila Times. As a teenager, she appeared as a commercial model and/or DJ in various television and print ads for Close-up, Pond's cream, and Hapee toothpaste, among others.
from primary to high school, where she was a valedictorian
. She attended university in the University of the Philippines
, from which she graduated a cum laude.
as a reporter for RPN-9, during which she covered topics including Imelda Marcos
' trip to Kenya
and the People Power Revolution.
During this period, she obtained a master’s degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines
, graduating at the top of the class with gold medals for Academic Excellence and Best Thesis. Later, she would move to the television station ABS-CBN
, where Legarda would achieve her best success in her career as a journalist. She became the anchor of the television newscast, The World Tonight
, and became the host of the current affairs
series, The Inside Story. An important moment in this time was her interview with Michael Jackson
, who dedicated the song Heal the World
to the Filipino people
.
During this period, she received more than thirty major awards, including the Catholic Mass Media Hall of Fame, KBP Golden Dove Award, the Gawad CCP
, and the Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women award.
Fidel V. Ramos
, Legarda ran for the Senate
in 1998 under the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Party. She was elected with more than 15 million votes, allowing her to be the highest vote-getter in that year's election. During her tenure, she played crucial roles in the release of several hostages abducted as a result of the Insurgency in the Philippines. These include the release from captivity of five military and police officers and personnel (including General Victor Obillo of the Philippine Army
) held by the CPP
-NPA-NDF
in April 1999, of Philippine Army
Major Noel Buan in April 2001 from two years of captivity, and fellow journalist Arlene dela Cruz from her Abu Sayyaf
abductors in Jolo
.
During her first six years in the Senate, Legarda authored legislation benefiting women's
and children's rights
, such as the following:
She also authored the following laws:
Aside from these achievements, she has allowed dozens of former child labor
ers to enroll in school through the Libro ni Loren Foundation. She established regular medical missions to benefit breast cancer
patients through the Bessie Legarda Memorial Foundation, which was named for her own mother. Loren Legarda played a crucial role in the 2000-01 impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada
, and her actions eventually helped spark the 2001 EDSA Revolution
. She was later chosen to be the Senate's Majority Floor Leader from 2001-2004.
(after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
broke her pledge not to run again for president
) and joined the KNP
coalition of Fernando Poe, Jr.
as an Independent
during the 2004 elections.
On January 18, 2008, in a 21-page resolution, penned by Senior Justice Leonardo Quisumbing
, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), dismissed Sen. Loren Legarda's electoral protest against Noli de Castro
. Three reasons supported the judgment: first, the PET approved the recommendation of Hearing Commissioner and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair retired SC Justice Bernardo P. Pardo that “the pilot-tested revision of ballots or re-tabulation of the certificates of canvass would not affect the winning margin of the protestee in the final canvass of the returns, in addition to the ground of abandonment or withdrawal by reason of Protestant’s candidacy for, election and assumption of the office Senator of the Philippines”; second, Legarda’s failure to pay the P 3.9 million ($1=P 40) revision of ballots (in 124,404 precincts) fee despite court extension under Rule 33 of the PET; and third, jurisprudence
of Defensor Santiago v. Ramos, teaches that Legarda "effectively abandoned or withdrawn her protest when she ran in the Senate, which term coincides with the term of the Vice-Presidency 2004-2010".
coalition. She won, receiving more than 18 million votes, which allowed her to become the top vote-getter in that election. On January 10, 2008, rumors arose that Legarda would run for president after she topped a survey held during that period. Later that month, she donated 1 million pesos
for 4-year-old deaf Filipino
Raphael Angelo Provido’s cochlear implant
at the Philippine General Hospital
. She was instrumental in negotiating the release of ABS-CBN News journalist Ces Drilon from the Abu Sayyaf
. On July 14, 2009, she announced her intention to run as president during the 2010 elections
. On August 15, her bill, the Magna Carta on Women was passed. On October 23 of that same year, during the launch of her humanitarian program "Lingkod Loren in Luneta", she formally declared her intention to run for vice-president in 2010 under Nationalist People's Coalition
with the platform of environmentalism
. After Francis Escudero
, expected to run for president, left the NPC, she decided that it would be best to stick with the Nacionalista Party
's presidential candidate, Manny Villar
, as a guest-running mate.
So far in her second term as senator, Legarda has filed the following laws:
Legarda lost her bid for the Philippine vice-presidency to Jejomar Binay
placing third in the 2010 Philippine presidential elections
. As a result, she continuedto serve in the Senate. In 2010, Legarda was given chairmanship for the Senate committees on climate change, cultural communities, and foreign affairs. She would later go to the United Nations
to deposit the Philippines ratification for the International Criminal Court
membership. As a result of Koko Pimentel's win in his case against Juan Miguel Zubiri
, evidence about Legarda's cheating allegations against Noli de Castro
and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
have surfaced.
Cables leaked by Wikileaks
include her as one of the five most influential women in the Philippines, together with journalist Malou Mangahas, Ombudswoman Merceditas Gutierrez, former Isabela Governor Grace Padaca
, and celebrity icon Kris Aquino
.
Declaration, the outcome document of the First National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation, as it called for “the passage of a policy prioritizing climate change adaptation in the national agenda”. Legarda was chosen by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
as a member of the Philippine delegation during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit
.
Legarda was named as one of the "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum
in Davos, Switzerland in 2000, and was awarded by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) in Turin, Italy, for her work on the environment in 2001. In 2004, she became an Environment Awardee of the Priyadarshni Academy in Mumbai
, India
. In 2008, Legarda was appointed as UN
ISDR Asia Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, and she participated in the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, the BBC
World Debate: ‘Prevent or React’, and the Forum on the Human Impact of Climate Change in Geneva, Switzerland.
in the Philippine Air Force
Reserve Corps. The Maranao
Sultanate League of the Moro people bestowed the honorary title of "Bai Alabi" ("Princess") on her.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
broadcast journalist, environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
, and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of Visayan ancestry, notable as the only female to top two senatorial elections (1998
Philippine general election, 1998
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 11, 1998. The two main competing coalitions in the senatorial election were the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP and the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino -led coalition composed of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino , Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino , the...
and 2007). During the 2004 Philippine general election, she ran for the position of Vice-President as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
with Fernando Poe, Jr.
Fernando Poe, Jr.
Ronald Allan Poe y Kelley , better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King, was a Filipino actor and cultural icon. From the 1950s, Poe played steadfast film heroes who fight for the common man, which won him respect and admiration...
as running mate and again during the 2010 Philippine presidential election
Philippine presidential election, 2010
-Timeline:The COMELEC-mandated election period for this election was from January 10 to June 9, 2010.-2008:*August 26 - Then Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando announces bid for presidency....
, for the same position as a member of the NPC
Nationalist People's Coalition
The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
with Manny Villar
Manny Villar
Manuel "Manny" Bamba Villar, Jr. is a Filipino businessman and politician. He is currently a Philippine Senator, president of the Nacionalista Party...
. She is considered as one of the five most influential women in the Philippines.
Advocacy
Legarda is a notable advocate of Climate Change AwarenessClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
and has numerous achievements in the fields of social development and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
advocacy along with her work in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. As a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, she has received many awards. In 2008, she was chosen as "United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Asia Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation". She was a member of the Philippine delegation during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit
2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit, was held at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 7 December and 18 December. The conference included the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate...
.
Early life
Loren Legarda was born on January 28, 1960 in MalabonMalabon City
The City of Malabon is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located just north of Manila, the city has a population of 363,681 as of 2007. It is primarily a residential and industrial town and is one of the most densely populated cities in the metropolis...
as Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda, the only daughter of Antonio Cabrera Legarda of San Pablo
San Pablo City
The City of San Pablo , a first class city in the province of Laguna, Philippines, is one of the country's oldest cities. The City of San Pablo lies in the southern portion of Laguna province...
, Laguna, and Bessie Gella Bautista of Malabon
Malabon City
The City of Malabon is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located just north of Manila, the city has a population of 363,681 as of 2007. It is primarily a residential and industrial town and is one of the most densely populated cities in the metropolis...
. Her maternal grandfather was Jose P. Bautista, an editor of the pre-Martial Law newspaper, The Manila Times. As a teenager, she appeared as a commercial model and/or DJ in various television and print ads for Close-up, Pond's cream, and Hapee toothpaste, among others.
Education
She attended Assumption CollegeAssumption College (Philippines)
The Assumption College is a private, Roman Catholic women's college in Makati City, Philippines established in 1959. It provides education from pre-school, elementary, secondary, tertiary, to graduate level...
from primary to high school, where she was a valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
. She attended university in the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
, from which she graduated a cum laude.
RPN 9 and ABS-CBN (1985-1998)
Legarda began a career in journalismJournalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
as a reporter for RPN-9, during which she covered topics including Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
' trip to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and the People Power Revolution.
During this period, she obtained a master’s degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines
National Defense College of the Philippines
The National Defense College of the Philippines is an educational, training, and research agency of the Philippine government responsible for providing continued and intensive studies of the diverse problems relating to national defense and security...
, graduating at the top of the class with gold medals for Academic Excellence and Best Thesis. Later, she would move to the television station ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN
ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
, where Legarda would achieve her best success in her career as a journalist. She became the anchor of the television newscast, The World Tonight
The World Tonight (ABS-CBN)
The World Tonight is an English-language newscast of ABS-CBN. It is anchored by Angelo Castro, Jr. And Tina Monzon-Palma on weekdays, and by Gigi Grande on Saturdays and Ron Cruz on Sundays.-Airing history:...
, and became the host of the current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
series, The Inside Story. An important moment in this time was her interview with Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, who dedicated the song Heal the World
Heal the World
"Heal the World" is a song from Michael Jackson's hit album, Dangerous, released in 1991. The music video features children living in countries suffering from unrest, especially Burundi. It is also one of only a handful of Michael Jackson's videos not to feature Jackson himself, the others being...
to the Filipino people
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
.
During this period, she received more than thirty major awards, including the Catholic Mass Media Hall of Fame, KBP Golden Dove Award, the Gawad CCP
Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines. The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by President Ferdinand Marcos...
, and the Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women award.
Senate, 1st term (1998-2004)
After becoming urged by the Philippine PresidentPresident of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...
, Legarda ran for the Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
in 1998 under the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Party. She was elected with more than 15 million votes, allowing her to be the highest vote-getter in that year's election. During her tenure, she played crucial roles in the release of several hostages abducted as a result of the Insurgency in the Philippines. These include the release from captivity of five military and police officers and personnel (including General Victor Obillo of the Philippine Army
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army is the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Tagalog is Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas. On July 23, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Maj. Gen...
) held by the CPP
Communist Party of the Philippines
The Communist Party of the Philippines is a leading communist party in the Philippines. It remains an underground political organization since its founding on December 26, 1968 and has been operating in clandestine manner since its founding...
-NPA-NDF
National Democratic Front (Philippines)
National Democratic Front is a coalition of far left leaning political parties, churches , agricultural unions, trade unions, and other related groups in the Philippines...
in April 1999, of Philippine Army
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army is the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Tagalog is Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas. On July 23, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Maj. Gen...
Major Noel Buan in April 2001 from two years of captivity, and fellow journalist Arlene dela Cruz from her Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
abductors in Jolo
Jolo
Jolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
.
During her first six years in the Senate, Legarda authored legislation benefiting women's
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
and children's rights
Children's rights
Children's rights are the human rights of children with particular attention to the rights of special protection and care afforded to the young, including their right to association with both biological parents, human identity as well as the basic needs for food, universal state-paid education,...
, such as the following:
- Anti-Domestic ViolenceDomestic violenceDomestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
Act - seeks to uphold and protect the basic human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
of women and their children. - Anti-Child LaborChild laborChild labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
law - limits the employment of childrenChild laborChild labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
below 15 years old, restricts the hours of work of working children, expands working children's access to education, social, medical and legal assistance. - Anti-Trafficking in PersonsHuman traffickingHuman trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
Act - aims to protect victims of human traffickingHuman traffickingHuman trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
.
She also authored the following laws:
- Ecological Solid Waste ManagementWaste managementWaste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
Law - created the National Solid Waste Management Commission, which aims to establish segregation among garbage and wastes. - Tropical Fabric Law - prescribes the use of Philippine tropical fabrics for official uniforms of government officials and employees and for the purposes, which require the use of fabrics in government offices and functions.
Aside from these achievements, she has allowed dozens of former child labor
Child labor
Child labour refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries...
ers to enroll in school through the Libro ni Loren Foundation. She established regular medical missions to benefit breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
patients through the Bessie Legarda Memorial Foundation, which was named for her own mother. Loren Legarda played a crucial role in the 2000-01 impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
, and her actions eventually helped spark the 2001 EDSA Revolution
2001 EDSA Revolution
The EDSA Revolution of 2001, also called by the local media as EDSA II or the Second People Power Revolution, is the common name of the four-day revolution that peacefully overthrew Philippine President Joseph Estrada from January 17–20, 2001...
. She was later chosen to be the Senate's Majority Floor Leader from 2001-2004.
2004 elections and ABC 5 (2004-2007)
In 2003, Legarda left Lakas-CMDLakas-Christian Muslim Democrats
Lakas-CMD , popularly known as Lakas, was a political party in the Philippines and the predecessor of Lakas Kampi CMD. Its ideology and that of its successor is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy, and by Populism...
(after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
broke her pledge not to run again for president
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
) and joined the KNP
Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino
The Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino or United Opposition or KNP, was the coalition of the dominant opposition in the Philippines during the 2004 general elections...
coalition of Fernando Poe, Jr.
Fernando Poe, Jr.
Ronald Allan Poe y Kelley , better known as Fernando Poe, Jr. and colloquially known as FPJ and Da King, was a Filipino actor and cultural icon. From the 1950s, Poe played steadfast film heroes who fight for the common man, which won him respect and admiration...
as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
during the 2004 elections.
On January 18, 2008, in a 21-page resolution, penned by Senior Justice Leonardo Quisumbing
Leonardo Quisumbing
Leonardo A. Quisumbing was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was appointed by President Fidel Ramos in 1998 and retired as the most senior Associate Justice of the Court on his 70th birthday in 2009....
, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), dismissed Sen. Loren Legarda's electoral protest against Noli de Castro
Noli de Castro
Manuel Leuterio de Castro, Jr. , better known as Noli de Castro or "Kabayan" Noli de Castro, was Vice President of the Philippines ....
. Three reasons supported the judgment: first, the PET approved the recommendation of Hearing Commissioner and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair retired SC Justice Bernardo P. Pardo that “the pilot-tested revision of ballots or re-tabulation of the certificates of canvass would not affect the winning margin of the protestee in the final canvass of the returns, in addition to the ground of abandonment or withdrawal by reason of Protestant’s candidacy for, election and assumption of the office Senator of the Philippines”; second, Legarda’s failure to pay the P 3.9 million ($1=P 40) revision of ballots (in 124,404 precincts) fee despite court extension under Rule 33 of the PET; and third, jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
of Defensor Santiago v. Ramos, teaches that Legarda "effectively abandoned or withdrawn her protest when she ran in the Senate, which term coincides with the term of the Vice-Presidency 2004-2010".
Senate, 2nd term and 2010 elections (2007-present)
In 2007, Legarda decided to run again for Senate under the banner of the Genuine OppositionGenuine Opposition
Genuine Opposition is the umbrella political coalition of the parties' senatorial line-up for the 2007 Philippine midterm elections, which is in opposition to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo...
coalition. She won, receiving more than 18 million votes, which allowed her to become the top vote-getter in that election. On January 10, 2008, rumors arose that Legarda would run for president after she topped a survey held during that period. Later that month, she donated 1 million pesos
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
for 4-year-old deaf Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
Raphael Angelo Provido’s cochlear implant
Cochlear implant
A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing...
at the Philippine General Hospital
Philippine General Hospital
The Philippine General Hospital is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the University of the Philippines Manila, the University of the Philippines System's Health Sciences Center. It is the largest government hospital administered by the university, and is designated as...
. She was instrumental in negotiating the release of ABS-CBN News journalist Ces Drilon from the Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
. On July 14, 2009, she announced her intention to run as president during the 2010 elections
Philippine presidential election, 2010
-Timeline:The COMELEC-mandated election period for this election was from January 10 to June 9, 2010.-2008:*August 26 - Then Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando announces bid for presidency....
. On August 15, her bill, the Magna Carta on Women was passed. On October 23 of that same year, during the launch of her humanitarian program "Lingkod Loren in Luneta", she formally declared her intention to run for vice-president in 2010 under Nationalist People's Coalition
Nationalist People's Coalition
The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
with the platform of environmentalism
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
. After Francis Escudero
Francis Escudero
Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero is a Filipino politician who has been a member of the Philippine Senate since 2007...
, expected to run for president, left the NPC, she decided that it would be best to stick with the Nacionalista Party
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
's presidential candidate, Manny Villar
Manny Villar
Manuel "Manny" Bamba Villar, Jr. is a Filipino businessman and politician. He is currently a Philippine Senator, president of the Nacionalista Party...
, as a guest-running mate.
So far in her second term as senator, Legarda has filed the following laws:
- Expanded Senior Citizens Law - seeks to increase the discount granted to senior citizens to 32% on goods and services, impose stiffer penalties to establishments which refuse to honor senior citizen card, etc.
- Climate ChangeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
Law - builds resilience to the impacts of climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
through the mainstreaming of climate change in various phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies and other development tools by all agencies of government. - Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Act - requires lending institutions to allocate at least eight percent of their total loan portfolio to micro and small businesses.
- Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act - fixes the maximum retail price of certain medicines and increases access of cheaper medicines in the country.
- Revised Agri-AgraAgrarian reformAgrarian reform can refer either, narrowly, to government-initiated or government-backed redistribution of agricultural land or, broadly, to an overall redirection of the agrarian system of the country, which often includes land reform measures. Agrarian reform can include credit measures,...
Law - mandates banks to devote 25% of their loanable funds to agriculture and agrarian reformAgrarian reformAgrarian reform can refer either, narrowly, to government-initiated or government-backed redistribution of agricultural land or, broadly, to an overall redirection of the agrarian system of the country, which often includes land reform measures. Agrarian reform can include credit measures,...
beneficiaries.
Legarda lost her bid for the Philippine vice-presidency to Jejomar Binay
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay, Sr. , also known as Jojo Binay or VPNay, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th Vice President of the Philippines since 2010. Previously, he was Mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010...
placing third in the 2010 Philippine presidential elections
Philippine presidential election, 2010
-Timeline:The COMELEC-mandated election period for this election was from January 10 to June 9, 2010.-2008:*August 26 - Then Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando announces bid for presidency....
. As a result, she continuedto serve in the Senate. In 2010, Legarda was given chairmanship for the Senate committees on climate change, cultural communities, and foreign affairs. She would later go to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
to deposit the Philippines ratification for the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
membership. As a result of Koko Pimentel's win in his case against Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri is a Filipino politician who served as a Congressman representing the third district of Bukidnon for three consecutive terms, and was the Senate of the Philippines Majority Leader, replacing Senator Francis Pangilinan on November 17, 2008...
, evidence about Legarda's cheating allegations against Noli de Castro
Noli de Castro
Manuel Leuterio de Castro, Jr. , better known as Noli de Castro or "Kabayan" Noli de Castro, was Vice President of the Philippines ....
and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
have surfaced.
Cables leaked by Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
include her as one of the five most influential women in the Philippines, together with journalist Malou Mangahas, Ombudswoman Merceditas Gutierrez, former Isabela Governor Grace Padaca
Grace Padaca
Ma. Gracia Cielo "Grace" Magno Padaca has been the governor of the northern province of Isabela, Philippines since 2007. Among Filipino politicians, she is among the minority not from politically connected families...
, and celebrity icon Kris Aquino
Kris Aquino
Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino , commonly known as Kris Aquino, is a Filipino television and movie personality who gained prominence from her talk shows, game shows, and numerous endorsements. Known as the Queen of All Media and Philippines' Queen of Talk, she is the youngest daughter of...
.
Environmentalism
With her "Luntiang Pilipinas" foundation, Legarda has planted over two million trees all over the Philippine archipelago. The charity also launched its 10@10: The Ten Million Trees Campaign, a viral tree planting campaign with the intention of planting 10 million trees by the year 2011. This campaign aims to contribute to the United Nations Environmental Program, which aims to reach the seven billion-tree mark by 2009. One of her major accomplishments as an environmentalist is the passage of the Climate Change Act in October 2009. She filed this bill two years ago, through inspiration from the AlbayAlbay
Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province borders Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagonoy Gulf....
Declaration, the outcome document of the First National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation, as it called for “the passage of a policy prioritizing climate change adaptation in the national agenda”. Legarda was chosen by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
as a member of the Philippine delegation during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit
2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference
The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit, was held at the Bella Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 7 December and 18 December. The conference included the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate...
.
Legarda was named as one of the "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in Davos, Switzerland in 2000, and was awarded by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) in Turin, Italy, for her work on the environment in 2001. In 2004, she became an Environment Awardee of the Priyadarshni Academy in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 2008, Legarda was appointed as UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
ISDR Asia Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, and she participated in the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
World Debate: ‘Prevent or React’, and the Forum on the Human Impact of Climate Change in Geneva, Switzerland.
Personal life
She has two sons, Lorenzo and Leandro. She is currently a Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in the Philippine Air Force
Philippine Air Force
The Philippine Air Force is the air force of the Republic of the Philippines, and one of the three main services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Its official name in Filipino is Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas....
Reserve Corps. The Maranao
Maranao
Maranao is the term used for the people of Lanao, a predominantly Muslim region in the Philippines island of Mindanao. They are famous for their artwork, sophisticated weaving, wood and metal craft, and their epic literature...
Sultanate League of the Moro people bestowed the honorary title of "Bai Alabi" ("Princess") on her.
Filmography
| Year | Film / Television | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-86 | Discorama | DJ / Presenter | GMA Network GMA Network GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company... |
| 1980-86 | Who Knows That? | Host / Presenter | GMA Network GMA Network GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company... |
| 1981-86 | BBC News Late Night Edition | Newscaster | BBC Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation was a Philippine television network that started operations in November 1973 and ended on February 25, 1986.-History:... (now ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... ) |
| 1985 | Manila Envelope | Host / Presenter | |
| 1986-98 | The World Tonight The World Tonight (ABS-CBN) The World Tonight is an English-language newscast of ABS-CBN. It is anchored by Angelo Castro, Jr. And Tina Monzon-Palma on weekdays, and by Gigi Grande on Saturdays and Ron Cruz on Sundays.-Airing history:... |
Newscaster / Presenter | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |
| 1986-90 | PEP Talk PEP (People, Events and Places) Talk PEP Talk is the now-defunct lifestyle program of ABS-CBN from 1986 to 1990. It is replaced by the magazine program The Inside Story.... |
Newscaster / Presenter | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |
| 1990-98 | The Inside Story | Newscaster / Presenter | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |
| 2000 | Markova: Comfort Gay | ||
| 2001-03 | Kabalikat: Loren Legarda | Newscaster / Presenter | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |
| 2003 | Sa mata ng balita: 50 taong pamamahayag sa telebisyon | Newscaster / Presenter | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |
| 2003-04 | Tara Tena | Newscaster / Presenter | ABS-CBN ABS-CBN ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ... |
| 2004-07 | Real Stories: Kasama si Loren | Newscaster / Presenter | TV5 Associated Broadcasting Company The Associated Broadcasting Company, Inc is a television network in the Philippines, with main broadcast facilities and transmitter located at 762 Quirino Highway, San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. The network was previously known as the , Associated Broadcasting Company remains the legal... |
Endorsements
- SunsilkSunsilkSunsilk is a hair care brand, primarily aimed at women, produced by the Unilever group, which is now considered the world's leading company in hair conditioning and the second largest in shampoo. Sunsilk is Unilever’s leading hair care brand, and ranks as one of the Anglo-Dutch conglomerate's...
Shampoo - Pond's Cream
- Close-UpClose-upIn filmmaking, television production, still photography and the comic strip medium a close-up tightly frames a person or an object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium shots and long shots . Close-ups display the most detail, but they do not include the broader scene...
Toothpaste - Lagerlite Beer
- Hapee Toothpaste
- SwiftSwiftThe swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
Hotdogs - ArielAriel (laundry)Ariel is a marketing line of laundry detergents made by Procter & Gamble. It is the flagship brand in Procter & Gamble's European, Mexican, Japanese, Brazilian, Peruvian, Turkish, Filipino, Colombian and Venezuelan portfolios. In some U.S. stores, Mexican Ariel is available.Ariel first appeared on...
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