Pia Cayetano

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Pilar Juliana "Pia" Cayetano (born Pilar Juliana Schramm Cayetano on March 22, 1966), popularly known as Compañera Pia or Pia, is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and was the youngest woman elected Senator in the history of the Republic of the Philippines. She was first elected as senator in 2004 and reelected to a second term in 2010.

Family [edit]

She is the only daughter of the late Senator Renato "Compañero" Cayetano and German-American former school teacher Sandra Schramm.^[1] She has three brothers. Alan Peter is a current senator (until 2013) and a popular critic of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Rene Carl is an ex-councilor of Muntinlupa City and the owner of the collectible figurine store "Maxicollector", while Lino Edgardo is a popular television, movie director and currently Barangay Chairman of Barangay Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City. Cayetano is a mother to two daughters, Maxine and Nadine, and a foster parent to Rene Lucas. ^[2]

She is an advocate of sports as part of a holistic youth development program, the prevention of diseases and the need of a healthy and fit lifestyle. She is the founder of Gabriel Symphony Foundation which she established after the death of her son Gabriel who was diagnosed with multiple congenital anomalies. ^[3] The foundation helps children with disabilities and life threatening ailments. She is also the founder of the Compañero Rene Cayetano Foundation in memory of her father, which helps the underprivileged in the areas of health, education, and environment, as well as Pinay In Action (PIA), which promotes health, fitness, and women empowerment. ^[4] She is a member of Young Entrepreneurs' Organization and a spokesperson of the Philippine Cancer Society and the Universal Birth Registration Project.

As a lawyer and entrepreneur [edit]

From 1992 until 1995, she was an associate lawyer of the Castillo, Laman Tan, and Pantaleon Law Offices who specializes in corporate law and intellectual property laws. From 1996 to 1999 she was an officer for the legal and corporate affairs of the Belle Corporation and its affiliates including the gaming conglomerate BW Resources. In 2000, she was a general counsel of the Philweb Corporation. In 2001 she was appointed as chairman of the Maxi Group of Companies, a retailer and distributor of educational toys, infant apparel and accessories.

In 2012, Senator Cayetano established her own cafe, Slice, in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City. Starting out as a dessert cart in late 2011, Slice's menu has since grown to include light snacks, soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches and rice meals, as well as desserts like the popular Double Choco Yema cake, among others. ^[5]

Father's death [edit]

When her father died of liver cancer on June 24, 2003, several legislators including the senators encouraged Cayetano to continue her father's unfinished work and advocacies with the help of her education as a lawyer and economist.

Senator of the Philippines [edit]

She ran for a Senate seat in the 2004 elections. Initially she was a virtual unknown to the electorate but with the liberalization of political advertisements, she gained popularity with her TV advertisement as a runner, cyclist, and as a tri-athlete, and as a new host of her father's TV program Compañero y Compañera for a short stint. She won the election landing in the sixth position. In 2010, Senator Cayetano ran for reelection as a guest candidate under the Nacionalista Party. She won, landing in sixth place. Her second term as a senator runs until 2016.

During 112th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Manila, Cayetano was elected President of the 10th Meeting of Women Parliamentarians during the sidelines of the annual meeting. On April 17, 2008, Pia was elected for a 2-year term, president of the Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) during its 118th General Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa. As the first Filipino and Asian to head it, she ran unopposed and took over from Uruguay's Monica Xavier.^[6] This is the highest position held by any Filipino or Asian in the history of the IPU. ^[7]

An advocate of women’s rights and welfare, she pushed for the enactment of the ‘Magna Carta of Women’ which seeks to end all forms of gender discrimination, and the ‘Expanded Breastfeeding Act,’ which establishes lactation stations in the workplace to encourage nursing mothers to continue breastfeeding even at work.^[8]

Cayetano is likewise credited for the passage of the ‘Expanded Senior Citizens Act,’ which allowed the elderly to fully enjoy the 20-percent senior citizens discount by exempting their purchases of medicines and other vital services from the 12-percent Value Added Tax.^[9]

Consistent with her call to improve public health services, she was responsible for passing the ‘Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Law’ and the ‘Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law,’ both of which seek to strengthen State mechanisms to ensure safe and affordable quality drugs for all. ^[10]

Her growing list of legislative accomplishments also includes the Foster Care Act (RA 10165), Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act (RA 10152), Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act (RA 10028), Establishment of Persons with Disability Affairs Office Act (RA 10070), National Anti-Rabies Act (RA 9482), and the Environmental Awareness and Education Act (RA 9512), among others.

Most recently, Senator Cayetano worked for the passage of two landmark laws, the Reproductive Health Act (RA 10354), for which she was the principal sponsor, and the Sin Tax Reform Act (RA 10351) which sought to fund government health programs from tax proceeds from cigarettes and alcohol products. ^[11]

Academic background [edit]

Senator Cayetano finished her degree in economics at the University of the Philippines, where she graduated cum laude in 1985. In 1991, she earned her Bachelor of Laws degree, also at UP, where she graduated with academic distinction, including number seven in her class, and member of the Order of the Purple Feather Honor Society. ^[12]

Sports enthusiast [edit]

A sports enthusiast, Cayetano has participated in the following international events:

• 2012 Finisher, Ironman 70.3, Cebu
• 2012, 2nd Place Women’s Category, XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon, Liloan, Cebu
• 2011, 2nd place Women’s Category, Extri Sprint Triathlon, Laiya, Batangas
• 2011, 3rd place, All Women’s Division, Cross-country Mountain Bike Category, Nuvali Dirt Weekend 2011, Nuvali, Sta Rosa Laguna
• 2011, 1st place All Female Category, XTerra Putik Pare 2011, Nuvali, Sta. Rosa Laguna
• 2011 Finisher, XTERRA World Championships, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii – Finisher
• 2011 Finisher, Megatri, Singapore
• 2011 Finisher, 1st XTERRA Off-Road Triathlon, Liloan, Cebu (1st place in her age-group)
• 2010 Finisher, Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship in Thailand
• 2010 Finisher, Cobra Ironman 70.3 in Camarines Sur (3rd place in her age group)
• 2010 Finisher, XTERRA ‘Putik Pare’ Off-Road Duathlon in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna
• 2010 Finisher, ITU-Subic Bay Duathlon Open in Subic
• 2009 Finisher, Tokyo Marathon
• 2009 Finisher, Cobra Ironman 70.3 in Camarines Sur (2nd place in her age-group)
• 2008 Finisher, ING Amsterdam Marathon
• 2008 Finisher, New York Triathlon
• 2008 Finisher, Amica Ironman 70.3, Rhode Island
• 2007 and 2008 Finisher, Aviva Ironman 70.3 in Singapore
• 2006 and 2008 Finisher, ING New York Marathon
• 2007 Finisher, Western Australia Ironman
• 2006 Finisher, Venice Marathon
• 2005 Finisher, World Duathlon Championship
• 2004 Series Champion, Ladies Division, Clark Duathlon
• 2002 Finisher, Chronicle Marathon
• 2002 Finisher, San Francisco Marathon
• 1991 Finisher, PAL Marathon

Her other sports achievements, in college:

• Youngest Member, Philippine National Volleyball Team (at age 17)
• Youngest Member and Captain Ball, UP Varsity Volleyball Team (age 18)

^[13]

On July 31, 2008, Cayetano together with Rina Go^[14] and Paolo Abrera^[14] at the Inquirer Lifestyle Series: Fitness.Fashion with Samsung fashion show at the Rigodon Ballroom of the Peninsula Manila in Makati City.^[14]

External links [edit]

• www.senatorpiacayetano.com
• www.gabrielsymphony.com
• [1]
• Pia Cayetano's personal blog
• Facebook fan page
• Twitter account
• Pinay In Action

References [edit]

Senatorial history of Pia Cayetano v t e <15th Senators of the 16th Congress of the Philippines (2013-2016) 17th> Senate President TBD Senior Senators (2010–2016) Junior Senators (2013–2019) Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Franklin Drilon Jinggoy Estrada Teofisto Guingona III Lito Lapid Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Bong Revilla Tito Sotto Edgardo Sonny Angara Bam Aquino Nancy Binay Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Joseph Victor Ejercito Gregorio Honasan Loren Legarda Aquilino Pimentel III Grace Poe Antonio Trillanes IV Cynthia Villar Term ends June 30, 2016 Term ends June 30, 2019 v t e <14th Senators of the 15th Congress of the Philippines (2010-2013) 16th> Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (2010–present) # Senior Senators (2007–2013) Junior Senators (2010–2016) Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Panfilo Lacson Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Aquilino Pimentel III (2011–present)## Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri (2007–11)## Vacant (since 2010)### Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Franklin Drilon Jinggoy Estrada Teofisto Guingona III Lito Lapid Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Bong Revilla Tito Sotto Term ends June 30, 2013 Term ends June 30, 2016 # — Ponce Enrile was also the Senate president of the 14th Congress. ## —Zubiri resigned from office on August 3, 2011, replaced by Pimentel afterwards. ### — Vacant due to election of Benigno Aquino III to the presidency. v t e <13th Senators of the 14th Congress of the Philippines (2007-2010) 15th> Senate Presidents Juan Ponce Enrile (2008-2010) · Manny Villar (2006-2008) # Senior Senators (2004-2010) Junior Senators (2007-2010) Rodolfo Biazon Lito Lapid Jinggoy Estrada Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Richard Gordon Jamby Madrigal Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Juan Ponce Enrile Bong Revilla Mar Roxas Vacant ## Edgardo Angara Benigno Aquino III Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Panfilo Lacson Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri Term ended June 30, 2010 Term ends June 30, 2013 # — Villar was also the previous Senate president of the 13th Congress. ## — Vacant due to election of Alfredo Lim as the mayor of Manila. v t e <12th Senators of the 13th Congress of the Philippines (2004-2007) 14th> Senate Presidents Manny Villar (2006-2007) # · Franklin Drilon (2004-2006) Senior Senators (2001-2007) Junior Senators (2004-2010) Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Franklin Drilon Luisa Estrada Juan Flavier Panfilo Lacson Sergio Osmeña III Francis Pangilinan Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. Ralph Recto Manny Villar Vacant ## Rodolfo Biazon Lito Lapid Jinggoy Estrada Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Richard Gordon Alfredo Lim ### Jamby Madrigal Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Juan Ponce Enrile Bong Revilla Mar Roxas Term ended June 30, 2007 Term ended June 30, 2010 # — Villar became the next Senate president during the 14th Congress. ## — Position vacated when Noli de Castro was elected to the vice presidency. ### — In 2007, Lim vacated his position prior to his election as the mayor of Manila.