Pia Cayetano, Rep. Rachel Arenas elected to key standing committees of IPU

Philippine Senator Pia Cayetano and Pangasinan 3rd District Representative Rachel Arenas (first and second from left) confer with Thailand’s Member of Parliament Kiat Sittheeamorn (right) at the sidelines of the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly and related meetings being held in Manama, Bahrain. | Photo from Sen. Cayetano’s office

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Pia Cayetano and Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas were elected to key standing committees of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

According to Cayetano in a statement on Sunday, their election “signals a vote of confidence in the leadership skills, not just of Filipinos, but of women as well, as it coincided with the celebration of Women’s Month.”

Cayetano was elected by fellow Members of Parliament to occupy a seat in the IPU’s Standing Committee on UN Affairs representing the Asia-Pacific Group (APG), while Arenas was voted to the IPU’s Standing Committee on Sustainable Development.

“It’s an honor to be elected Bureau Member of the IPU’s Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs, representing the Asia-Pacific Group (APG),” said Cayetano, who also heads the Philippine Senate delegation to the 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain.

Cayetano was voted to the 18-member panel alongside Japan’s Hitoshi Aoyagi.

The senator also previously served as president of the IPU’s Committee of Women Parliamentarians from 2008 to 2010 — the first Filipino and Asian to be elected to the position.

Formed in 2007, the IPU’s Committee on United Nations (UN) Affairs seeks to connect parliaments with UN activities and goals.

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