Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (July 06, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano, born on October 28, 1970, is a Filipino senator. His father was the late former Senator Renato “Compañero” Cayetano. While his mother was Sandra-Schramm Cayetano, a teacher. Alan Peter Cayetano has two other brothers and one sister: Pia Cayetano Sebastian, a senator; Rene Carl Cayetano, a councilor; and Lino Edgardo Cayetano, a television and film director.

Alan Peter Cayetano studied in De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School in Alabang for his elementary education and high school education. He then went on to study at the University of the Philippines where he took up and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and graduated in 1993. After that, he continued studying and went to study at the Ateneo de Manila University. From there, he became a Juris Doctor in 1997, and then took the bar exam where he was admitted in 1998.

After being admitted into the bar, Alan Peter Cayetano worked in some firms. He then ran during the 1992 elections and won as the Representative of the Taguig/Pateros area. He served as the councilor of Taguig/Pateros from 1992 to 1995. He also became the Vice Mayor of Taguig from 1995 to 1998. From there, he went on to become the Representative of the Taguig/Pateros area from 1998 to 2007. It was in 2007 that Alan Peter Cayetano became a Senator of the Philippines, where he will serve until the end of his term in 2013.  He is also a partner of his own law firm, the Cayetano, Sebastian, Ata, Dado, and Cruz (CASELAW), in which he established in 1998.

As a Philippine Senator, Alan Peter Cayetano has done a number of things while in office. During the 11th Congress, he was one of the Representative who endorsed a verified complaint for impeachment against former President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada. During the 13th Congress, he was one of the people who said no to the dumping of the impeachment complaint against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2005 and 2006. Also during the 11th Congress, he was one of the Senators who signed the RA 8749, also known as the Philippine Clean Air Act.

Alan Peter Cayetano, though a little known senator, can do so much for the passing of the Reproductive Health Bill into a law. I just hope he does something profoundly for the RH Bill that will not only turn the faith of the bill around, but also turn his career upside down for the better.

Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Francis Pangilinan (July 05, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Francis Pangilinan.

Francis Pancratius Nepomuceno Pangilinan was born on August 24, 1963 in Manila. He is a Philippine senator, serving since 2001. During his term, he became the Senate Majority Leader in 2008, and is currently the Chairman of the Committees in Agriculture and Social Justice in the Senate.

Kiko Pangilinan, as he is called, was born to Donato Pangilinan, an engineer and entrepreneur, and Emma Nepomuceno, a public school teacher. A fifth child, he has eight brother and sisters: Maricel Aranas, Angeli Valenciano, Nenette Zipperich, Joseph, Anthony, Felichi Buizon, John Raymund, and Donna Simpao. He attended La Salle Greenhills for his elementary and high school education. He then graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Major in Comparative Literature. During his stay at the university, he became chairman of the Student Council in 1986, and became the first Student Regent in 1987 of the UP Board of Regents. He was also elected as the Philippine Representative to the Committee on Youth Cooperation of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). He then went on to study at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he earned a degree of Master of Science in Public Administration, focusing on Strategic Management.

In 1988, Kiko Pangilinan. was elected councilor of Quezon City. During his term, he focused on programs for the youth, leading him to have founded the National Movement of Young Legislators (NYML). In 2001, Kiko Pangilinan ran for a seat in the senate, where he won and was re-elected for six more years. He became the Senate Majority Leader in 2004.

As for his personal life, Kiko Pangilinan is married to the megastar herself, Sharon Cuneta. They have three children together: Simone Francesca Emmanuelle, Mariel Daniella Sophia, and Maria Kristina Cassandra, who is Sharon Cuneta’s daughter from a previous relationship and whom Kiko Pangilinan has legally adopted.

Many see Kiko Pangilinan as just the husband of celebrity Sharon Cuneta, but her is more than that. He is actually a very good politician, a senator in particular. He has worked since before for youth empowerment. The Reproductive Health Bill becoming a law can definitely benefit the youth of today. I hope Kiko Pangilinan would continue to come up with youth programs having to do with how the RH Bill can help them so they will be enlightened with the facts about it.

Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Chiz Escudero (July 04, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Chiz Escudero.

Born Francis Joseph Guevara Escudero on October 10, 1969, Chiz, as he is better known, is a current Philippine Senator. He is the second of three children of 1st District of Sorsogon Representative Salvador “Sonny” H. Escudero III and Evelina B. Guevara, a teacher.

Chiz Escudero has been a student of the University of the Philippines his whole life. During his elementary and high school education, he attended the University of the Philippines Integrated School. In 1988, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He then earned his Bachelors of Law in 1993 from the College of Law in the same university. He attended Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C. where he received his Masters in International and Comparative Law in 1996. During his stay at the University of the Philippines, he was active in many school organizations. He was Secretary General of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines, a member of both the Alpha Beta Phi Fraternity and Alpha Beta Phi Debating Team. He was a consistent student in the honor roll, and was a member of the Order of the Purple Feather, also called as the U.P. Law Honor Society. 

Before becoming a full time lawyer, Chiz Escudero first became a teaching assistant at his Alma Mater’s Department of Political Science. He became a Junior Associate from 1993 to 1994 at the Bautista, Picazo, Buyco, Tan, and Fider Law Office. From there, he became a Legal Consultant for the UNLAD Ship Management and Manning Corporation and Legal Counsel for the Crusade Against Violence (CAV). From 1995 up to the present, he is a partner of the Escudero, Marasigan, Sta. Ana, Vallente. and Villareal Law Office (EMSAVIL Law). Aside from being a lawyer, he also taught law at the University of the Philippines and the Ateneo De Manila University.

In 1998, Chiz became the Representative of the 1st District of Sorsogon. It was in 2007 that Chiz ran for a senate seat and won with the second highest number of votes. During all his terms as a politician, Chiz is known to always fight for what is true and right. With his signing of the position, it means that he actually supports the RH Bill. I just hope that like any other issues in the country, he would also fight for the passing of the RH Bill into law. His influence and his reputation as such politician should help the RH Bill in becoming a law.

Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (July 01, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

Born on September 13, 1957, Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Romualdez Marcos, Jr. is the only son of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos and Imelda Romualdez-Marcos. He, like his father, is into politics, being a senator of the 15th congress. Before that, he was a representative and governor of his hometown of Ilocos Norte.

Bong Bong Marcos attended La Salle Greenhills from pre-school to first year high school. He finished his secondary schooling at Worth School in England. He then studied at the Oxford University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He continued studying at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his Masters Degree in Business Administration.

Bong Bong Marcos is married to Louise Araneta-Marcos, with whom he has three sons: Ferdinand Alexander Marcos; Joseph Simon Marcos; and William Vincent Marcos.

Bong Bong Marcos has been into politics for over twenty years now. From 1980 to 1983, he was the Vice Governor of Ilocos Norte. From 1983 to 1986, he became the Governor. In 1992, he ran and was elected as Representative of the 2nd District of Ilocos Norte, serving until 1995. He was then elected again in 1998, but this time for the position of Governor. This went on until 2007 for he was elected and served for three consecutive terms. From 2007 to 2010, he served again as the Representative of the 2nd District of Ilocos Norte, assuming the position his sister, Imee Marcos, previously held. In the 2010 elections, he ran for a senatorial seat and won, having earned the 7th highest number of votes. 

Bong Bong Marcos came from one of the most popular, and probably infamous, families in the Philippines. His father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, may have been remembered to have done some very bad things to our country, but he also did some things that contributed to the development of the Philippines. He has witnessed the ups and downs the country has experienced and should base from that his view on how the Reproductive Health Bill can help in our country’s development. He should help in spreading the word that the RH Bill can help alleviate the country’s problem of overpopulation and probably bring back our country’s heyday. The charisma his father had, that I hope he has too, that helped in the country’s development before should also be used here to help enlighten the minds of the Filipino.

Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Bong Revilla, Jr. (June 30, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Bong Revilla, Jr.

Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. was born on September 25, 1966, with the real name of Jose Marie Mortel Bautista. He is a movie and television actor turned politician and senator. His parents are Jose Acuña Bautista, also an actor who is better known as Ramon Revilla, and Azucena Mortel. 

When he became an actor, he had the screen name of Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. to be more associated with his actor father. His heyday was during the 1980s and 1990s, when he made a career out of doing numerous action movies. In the past few years, though still doing action movies while in senate, he also has done a number of television sitcoms for GMA-7. 

His political career started in 1995, when former NBI Director Epimaco Velasco asked Bong Revilla to  be his running mate in the local elections of their hometown of Cavite. They successfully won as governor and vice governor, respectively. In 1998 though, Epimaco Velasco resigned when he was appointed the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government. Bong Revilla assumed the position of governor, and this went on until he was elected the position in the 1998 elections. He was appointed by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 202 as the Chairman of the Videogram Regulatory Board (now Optical Media Board). In 2004, because his father couldn’t run anymore for a senatorial seat, he ran for the position under the K-4 coalition and won having received the second highest number of votes.

Bong Revilla is married to Jesusa Victoria Bautista Revilla, or more commonly knows as actress Lani Mercado. His wife Lani is currently the Representative of the 2nd District of Cavite. Together, they have six children: Leonard Bryan Revilla, Jose Lorenzo Revilla, Inah Felicia Revilla-Del Rosario, Maria Viktoria Gianna Revilla, Maria Franzel Loudette Revilla, and Ramon “Ram” Vicente Revilla.

Bong Revilla though is not the only family member who is into politics. His younger brother, Strike Revilla, is the incumbent mayor of Bacoor, Cavite, their hometown. His younger sister, Andrea Bautista-Ynares, is married to Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III, the Governor of Rizal.

As a well known actor and politician, Bong Revilla should use his status to inform more people about the benefits and the good side of the Reproductive Health Bill. I mean, he did not sign that approval if he does not believe in the change the RH Bill can bring about. He should take time and opportunity to do this so that more people will be enlightened about the RH Bill.

Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Ed Angara (June 29, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Ed Angara.

Edgardo Javier Angara was born on September 24, 1934 in Baler, Aurora. From 1993 to 1995, he served as the President of the Senate of the Philippines. He is currently serving his fourth term as a senator. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1958, where he earned his Bachelor of Laws degree. He was part of the Sigma Rho Fraternity while attending the said university. He then attended the University of Michigan’s School of Law in the United States of American and earned his Masters of Law degree in 1964. 

IN 1972, he, together with UP College of Law, and now fellow senator, Juan Ponce Enrile, established what would now become one of the country’s most recognized and prestigious law firm, the Angara, Abello, Concepcion, Regala and Cruz (ACCRA) Law Offices. He also became the President of the University of the Philippines from 1981 to 1987. While in office, he established programs that will help UP students and alumni and put the said university on the map.

It was Ed Angara’s achievements that gave him a seat on the Senate of the Philippines. As the Senate Presidents from 1993 to 1995, he was able to pass laws on arts and culture, agriculture, education, good governance, health, and social welfare, that definitely helped a lot of Filipinos. In 1998, he ran alongside presidential candidate Joseph Estrada as his vice president. Althought Joseph Estrada won in a landslide, Ed Angara unfortunately lost to the vice presidential candidate Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Even though he lost, newly elected president Joseph Estrada appointed him as the Agriculuture Secretary and served from 1999 to 2001. With his leadership, the Agriculture Department grew and became a better department than before. He was also appointed the Executive Secretary but only served for less than two weeks because Joseph Estrada was impeached.

In 2001, Ed Angara ran again for a seat in the senate and he successfully won. He was again elected in 2007, serving his fourth term. Because of this, he is now the longest-serving senator of the post-EDSA government. In all his terms, Ed Angara penned and successfully passed laws that benefits many Filipinos from different sectors. He currently is the chairman of the Committee on Education, Arts, and Culture; the Committee on Science and Technology; and the Congressional Committee on Science and Technology and Engineering (COMSTE).

Senators Support the RH Bill: Senator Franklin Drilon (June 28, 2011)

In recent news about the development of the state of the Reproductive Health Bill in the country, twenty Philippine senators signed an approval of the said bill. This signing of an approval means a great development for the RH Bill for it means that the bill is actually going somewhere and not neglected totally. In a previous blog entry, I listed down the name of the Senators who signed the said approval. In the next few blog entries, I will be discussing the profiles of these Senators and probably state why they signed the approval. For today, we will be looking at Senator Franklin Drilon.

Franklin Magtunao Drilon was born on November 28, 1945 in Iloilo City, Iloilo. He is the eldest son of Cesar Drilon, Sr. and Primitiva Magtunao. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in 1965, where he took up a Bachelor of Arts degree. His politician roots started in college when he was elected President of the UP Student Council. In 1969, he completed his Bachelors of Laws at the UP College of Law. He took the bar examination that same year where he placed third.

As a lawyer, he worked in law offices such as Sycip, Salazar, Luna, Manalo and Feliciano Law Offices (now SyCip Salazar, Hernandez and Gatmaitan); and Angara, Abello, Concepcion, Regala and Cruz Law Offices (ACCRALAW). He is politician who has served the Philippine Senate for two terms, from 2001-2006, and currently serving his third term. He served as the President of the Senate of the Philippines in 2000, after Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Before serving the senate, he worked in the Department of Justice, Department of Labor and Employment, and as an Executive Secretary in different committees.

Franklin Drilon is married to Violeta Calvo, a fellow lawyer and ACCRA senior partner. Together, they have two children, Eliza and Patrick. During his campaign for a senate seat in 1995, Franklin Drilon would often travel to the United States to be with his wife, who was being treated for lunch cancer there. His wife, Violeta, unfortunately lost the battle against cancer in September that same year, two months after his husband won a seat. But just two years after his wife’s death, Franklin Drilon proposed to Mila Serrano-Genuino, a close family friend who was a widow. They married and got President Corazon Aquino and President Fidel V. Ramos as their sponsors.

Franklin Drilon is a member of the Rotary Club, Makati Chapter. He is also an active member of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP). He used to be the president of the Pasay-Makati-Mandaluyong-San Juan Chapter of the IBP. 

Senator Franklin Drilon is a very powerful and great politician. With his signing of the approval in this position of his, he will have a great influence on the RH Bill finally becoming a law. I am pretty sure the reason why he signed this approval was because he believes in the change that the RH Bill will bring. I just hope a lot of people will also see this.