Sponsorship Speech of Senator Loren Legarda | Institutionalizing the Schools of Living Traditions (SLT)(An Act Institutionalizing the Schools Of Living Traditions (SLT), Amending Republic Act No. 10066, or the “National Cultural Heritage Act Of 2009,” As Amended and Appropriating Funds Therefor) | November 12, 2025

 Mr. President, distinguished colleagues,
 
Our nation’s soul is intricately woven through songs, stories, designs and crafts. Across our archipelago, you can hear the rhythmic melodies of the Hudhud chants of the Ifugao, the enchanting kulintang of the Maguindanao, and witness the delicate craftsmanship of piña weaving in Aklan. Each rhythm, each pattern, carries the living memory of our ancestors—an enduring expression of our identity, our resilience, and our collective spirit.
 
Today, I have the honor of sponsoring a measure that seeks to […]

Sponsorship Speech of Senator Legarda | SBN-1483: Extending the Duration of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II)

Mr. President, esteemed colleagues,

I rise to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1483, under Committee Report No. 7, which seeks to extend the duration of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, or EDCOM II, thereby amending Republic Act No. 11899. 

EDCOM II was established in 2022 to undertake a comprehensive national assessment of our education system and to recommend structural reforms that would strengthen its quality, equity, and responsiveness to national needs. There is no doubt that the Commission has carried out this […]

Senator Loren Legarda’s Privilege Speech | Rethinking Flood Control: Building a Nature-Based Future After Typhoons Tino and Uwan

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues,

Typhoon Tino claimed 232 lives and affected over 4 million Filipinos, while Typhoon Uwan, still unfolding, has already left six dead and displaced 2.4 million. Cebu bore the worst with 150 fatalities,  followed by Negros Occidental with 42, and Negros Oriental with 21. These tragedies hit close to home—barely two months after a 6.9-magnitude quake in the same region claimed 79 lives.

This is nature speaking to us clearly: our growth has outpaced our safeguards. Beyond the natural […]

Co-sponsorship Speech of Senator Legarda Classroom-Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues:

I hesitate to sound repetitive, yet the truth bears repeating: from my first term in 1998 until today, the classroom shortage has persisted as one of the most stubborn obstacles in our public education system. Year after year, administration after administration, this deficit has weighed heavily on our learners and teachers. And today, the DepEd estimates the gap at 147,347 classrooms nationwide.

I rise to co-sponsor the proposed Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act, a measure that seeks to address […]

Introduction of Senator Loren Legarda to H.E. Ban Ki-moon | Asian Forum on Enterprise for Society

Honorable guests, distinguished colleagues, friends, ladies, and gentlemen. It is my profound honor and privilege to introduce a visionary leader whose path has so often intersected with the aspirations of the Filipino people.

His tenure at the United Nations, from 2007 to 2016, was marked by a relentless pursuit of peace, a deep commitment to sustainable development, and a passion for uplifting the world’s most vulnerable. Under his leadership, he mobilized world leaders to confront the most pressing challenges of our […]