LEGARDA, LOREN B.: SLB Profile

Date of Birth: January 28, 1960
Place of Birth: Marikina City

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Elementary: Assumption Convent, Herran, 1973

High School: Assumption Convent, San Lorenzo, 1977

College: Broadcast Communications, University of the Philippines, 1981

Higher Studies: Special Studies towards Professional Designation in Journalism, University of California, 1985

Master’s in National Security Administration, National Defense College of the Philippines, 1993

HONORS/ AWARDS:

Elementary- Valedictorian

College- Cum Laude

TRACK RECORD:

1998-2004 Senator, Philippine Senate

1998-2004 Manager, program development, News and Public Affairs, ABS-CBN

1993-2004 Columnist, Manila Bulletin

1990-1998 News anchor/executive producer, “The Inside Story”, ABS-CBN

1986-1998 News anchor, “The World Tonight”, ABS-CBN

1986-1990 Host/producer, “Pep Talk”, ABS-CBN

1986 Host, “Street Pulse”, RPN 9

1985-1986 Writer/producer, Media office, Philippine Consulate, Los Angeles, California, USA

1985-1986 Host/producer/writer, KSCI Channel 18, Los Angeles California, USA

1985 Host, MBS 4

CITATIONS:

She ran for the Senate in 1998 under the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Party. She was elected with more than 15 million votes, becoming the senator with the highest number of votes in that year's election. After the 2001 elections she was chosen to be the Senate's Majority Floor Leader.

Senator Legarda played a crucial role in the expeditious release of five military and police officers and personnel held captive by the CCP-NPA-NDF in April 1999. The captives included General Victor Obillo of the Philippine Army. In April 2001, Senator Legarda again championed human rights when she led the Humanitarian and Peace Mission for safe and successful return of Army Major Noel Buan to his family after almost two years of captivity by rebel groups. She was also instrumental in the release of fellow journalist Arlene dela Cruz from her abductors in Jolo, Sulu.

Throughout her six-year tenure in the Senate from 1998 to 2004, she authored legislation benefitting women and children, such as the Anti-Domestic Violence Act and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. She is also the author of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law and the Tropical Fabric Law, which is consistent with her advocacy for indigenous fabric.

She has put to school dozens of former child laborers through the Libro ni Loren Foundation, and conducts regular medical missions benefitting indigent breast cancer patients through the Bessie Legarda Memorial Foundation.

She is an environmentalist, and is a recipient of the United Nations Environment Program Award (UNEP), in Turin, Italy, in 2001 for her outstanding work through Luntiang Pilipinas (Green Philippines). With this program, she planted over two million trees all over the Philippine archipelago. She is also the recipient of the Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT), from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in the year 2000.

ATTENDANCE *

	Total Sessions	Present	Absent	Mission
12th Congress
First Session	83	69	12	2
Second Session	92	86	0	6
11th Congress
First Session	100	94	3	3
Second Session	100	90	4	4

* There were days that roll call was dispensed with; M=official mission/business

PLATFORM:

Youth, anti-drug crusade, environment, children and women’s rights

STAND ON CHARTER CHANGE ISSUE:

“..there is something wrong with the timing and method in pushing for Charter change by its advocates from presidential to parliamentary form of government. The mid-stream shift, she said "will absolve the excesses done under the presidential system with respect to legitimacy and corruption issues."

"The mode of executing the Charter Change, on the other hand, through People's Initiative is farcical and the other method of Constituent Assembly is patently unconstitutional if Congress votes as one (not bicameral) on the Charter change issue.”

http://www.boholchronicle.com/2006/nov/5/front5.htm