Press Release
September 28, 2018

SP Sotto extols Asia-Pacific women leaders

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Thursday, September 27, extolled women leaders from the Asia Pacific for their contribution "to the promotion of cultural understanding, harmony and peace in the region."

Sotto, during the lunch hosted by the Senate for the 60th founding anniversary of Federation of Asia Pacific Women's Association, said women's organization "further proved the heights that women can scale when given the opportunity, recognition and respect due them."

The Senate leader said the Senate, at present, has a record of six women out of 24 senators, and in the forthcoming 2019 midterm elections, women candidates topped in the recent Pulse Asia survey.

The current women senators are Senators Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Cynthia Villar, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay and Leila de Lima.

In the September 1 to 7 survey conducted by Pulse Asia, Poe also topped the list, followed by Villar, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Pia Cayetano, Binay and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos was also in the winning circle at 8thplace.

"I will not mind if I am called an honorary woman like the late Senator Raul Roco who was my buddy in the Senate during the 10th, 11thand 12th Congresses," Sotto said.

He said FAWA became an effective platform of unity, cooperation and collaboration for women's organizations and its success "will only have an enduring effect if they can be repeated and replicated."

"The legacy of FAWA will depend on its ability to continue producing in the future the same excellent output that has been its hallmark through the past years," Sotto said.

During the luncheon, Poe, Legarda, Villar and Hontiveros were also awarded Sen. Geronima T. Pecson statuettes.

Pecson, the country's first female senator, initiated the formation of FAWA in June, 1959.

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