Senators pay tribute to Leticia Ramos-Shahani

Present and past senators will pay tribute on Thursday to former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, who passed away at age 87 Monday morning.

Senate Secretary Lutgard Barbo said the necrological services for Shahani is scheduled at the Senate at 2:30 p.m.

Barbo said Senate President Koko Pimentel III would present a resolution to Shahani’s family expressing the Senate’s sympathy and condolences.

Pimentel, along with Senators Loren Legarda, Bam Aquino IV and former Senators Jun Magsaysay Jr., Nene Pimentel Jr. and Rene Saguisag will deliver a eulogy for Shahani, the Senate official said.

READ: Senators shower praises on Shahani

Barbo said Senate officials and employees would await the arrival of Shahani’s remains at the main entrance of the Senate building to escort her to the session hall at the second floor. Shahani’s remains, he said, would be available for public viewing after the necrological services.

Shahani was the first female senator to be elected Senate President Pro-Tempore in the 9th and 10th Congresses. During her stint as senator from 1987 to 1998, she chaired the committees on foreign relations, education, agriculture, and women and family relations.

She authored the Moral Recovery Program in 1987, a law which aimed to integrate ethical values in nation building, as well as bills on women’s welfare such as the Strengthening the Prohibition of Discrimination Against Women in the Workplace, Anti-Rape Law of 1997 and Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998.

She also introduced the inclusion of the mandatory five percent (5%) allocation in the budget of every government department and agency for gender and development.

The late senator also held various positions in the government such as ambassador to Australia (f1981 to 1986) and Romania (1975-1980), Secretary-General of the World Conference on the United Nations Decade of Women in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985 and deputy minister for Philippine affairs after the 1986 Edsa Revolution. JE/rga