Loren Legarda returns to the Senate on her 4th term: much to do, many to help

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) today proclaimed Senator-elect Loren Legarda as winner in the May 2022 senatorial race, after once again garnering the second highest number of votes in the recent elections.  Based on the latest canvassing results of the poll body, she was elected by 24,264,969 Filipinos both here and abroad.

Legarda, who currently serves as the representative of the Lone District of Antique in the House of Representatives, will be serving her fourth term in the coming 19th Congress and will be the most senior among the present crop of senators. 

“I thank the Filipino people for continuously giving me their support and trust. Kayo ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito at makakaasa kayong hindi ko kayo bibiguin,” said Legarda, who served three terms in the Senate prior to her election to her current position.

In the Senate, she chaired the Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations, Climate Change, Environment and Natural Resources, Economic Affairs, Agriculture, and Cultural Communities, among many others. 

“We also look forward to carrying on the legacy we left in the Senate by continuing our shared advocacies and working with newly elected lawmakers, each with a new take on current issues and a fresh perspective on how we can better serve the Filipino people,” said Legarda. 

Legarda topped previous senatorial elections twice, first in 1998 and second in 2007, and got the second highest votes in 2013. She was also the only female senator who served as senate majority leader.

She has authored many laws aimed at improving the lives of Filipinos and promoting a green, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development, including the MSME Law (RA 9501), the  Philippine Innovation Act (Republic Act No. 11293), the Free Tertiary College Education Act (RA 10931), and the Universal Healthcare Act (R.A. No. 10606).

As a globally recognized environmental champion, Legarda authored and sponsored laws on environmental governance, protection, and conservation, such as the Clean Air Act (R.A. No. 8749), the Clean Water Act (RA 9275), the Environmental Awareness Education Act (R.A. No. 9512), the Renewable Energy Act (RA 9513), the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (R.A. No. 9003), the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (R.A. No. 10121), the Climate Change Act (R.A. No. 9729) and its amendatory law (R.A. No. 10174), which provides for the creation of the People’s Survival Fund, and the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas (ENIPAS) Law (RA 11038).

She is also currently the UNDRR Global Champion for Resilience, the UNFCCC National Adaptation Plan Champion, a Commissioner of the Global Commission on Adaptation, the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Ambassador for Parliaments, and the Women Political Leaders Global Ambassador for Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change and Environment.

A cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, National Defense College of the Philippines topnotcher, and graduate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Command and General Staff College, Legarda is a reserve officer of the Philippine Air Force with the rank of full colonel. She was conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, by the University of the Philippines. 

Legarda is both a Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) and a Ten Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) awardee.  For her efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with other countries, she was bestowed with the title of Knight in the French National Order of the Legion of Honor, Knight in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, and the Award of Distinction by the European Union.###