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Batanes Lalawigan ng Batanes
—  Province  —
Official seal of Batanes Seal
Map of the Philippines with Batanes (red) within Luzon and associated islands (beige) and the rest of the Philippines (orange)
Coordinates: 20°35′30″N 121°53′46″E / 20.59167°N 121.89611°E / 20.59167; 121.89611Coordinates: 20°35′30″N 121°53′46″E / 20.59167°N 121.89611°E / 20.59167; 121.89611
Country	Philippines
Region	Cagayan Valley (Region II)
Founded	1909
Capital	Basco
Government
• Governor	Vicente Gato (Liberal)
• Vice Governor	Ferdinand Elica (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
Area
• Total	219.01 km2 (84.56 sq mi)
Area rank	80th out of 80
Population (2007)
• Total	15,974
• Rank	80th out of 80
• Density	73/km2 (190/sq mi)
• Density rank	70th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	6
• Barangays	29
• Districts	Lone district of Batanes
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code
Spoken languages	Ivatan, Itbayaten, Isamurongen, Ilocano, Tagalog, English

File:Batanes blank map.PNG

Itbayat

Basco*

Mahatao

Uyugan

Ivana

Sabtang

BATANES

South China Sea

Pacific Ocean

^* Provincial capital

The Province of Batanes^{[pronunciation?]} (Filipino: Lalawigan ng Batanes), also called the Batanes Islands, is a Philippine province comprising ten islands that are located in the Luzon Strait between the islands of Luzon and Taiwan. It is the northernmost part of the Philippines and is also the smallest province, both in terms of population and land area.

The island group is located about 162 km north of Luzon and about 190 kilometers south of Taiwan, separated from the Babuyan Islands of Cagayan Province, Luzon, by the Balintang Channel and from Taiwan by the Bashi Channel.

The provincial capital is Basco on Batan Island and the only other inhabited islands are Itbayat and Sabtang. The northernmost island of the province, making it the northernmost island in the Philippines, is Mavudis (Yami) Island. Other islands in the chain are Misanga, Siayan, Ivuhos, and Dequey.^[1]

The province is officially in the region of Cagayan Valley.

The islands are part of the Luzon Volcanic Arc.

History[link]

The ancestors of today's Ivatans are descended from Austronesians who migrated to the Batanes Islands 4000 years ago during the Neolithic period. They lived in fortified mountain areas called idjangs and drank sugar-cane wine, or palek. They also used gold as currency and produced a thriving agriculture-based industry. They were also seafarers and boat-builders.

In 1687, a crew of English freebooters headed by William Dampier came with a Dutch crew and named the islands in honour of their country's nobility. Itbayat was named "Orange Isle" after William of Orange, and Batan was named "Grafton Isle" after Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton. Sabtang Isle was named "Monmouth Isle" after James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. Capt. Dampier stayed for less than three months, and did not claim the islands for the British crown.

In 1783, the Spanish claimed Batanes as part of the Philippines under the auspices of Governor-General José Basco y Vargas. The Bashi Channel had come to be increasingly used by English East India Company ships and the Spanish authorities brought the islands under their direct administration to prevent them falling under British control.^[2] However, the Ivatan remained on their idjangs, or mountain fortresses. In 1790, Governor Guerrero (^{[citation needed]} The Governor-general of the Philippines at this point in time is Félix Berenguer de Marquina, unless Guerrero refers to a governor of the Batanes.) decreed that Ivatans were to leave their idjang and to live in the lowlands, thereby giving them more people to tax. Basco and Ivana were the first towns. Mahatao was then administered by Basco, while Uyugan and Sabtang, by Ivana. Itbayat was not organized until the 1850s, its coast being a ridge. Ivatans were then ordered to dress like the other Filipinos, and it didn't take them long to adapt. Soon, Ilocanos were being put in the islands, so as to control the native population there. Limestone technology used by the Spanish were also being spread to the islands, so that their bridges became strong and fortified. Some of these bridges still remain at both Ivana and Mahatao. By 1890, many Ivatans were in Manila, and became ilustrados, who then brought home with them the revolutionary ideas of the Katipunan. These Ivatans, who were then discontented with Spanish rule, killed the ruling General Fortea and declared the end of Spanish rule.

Toward the end of the Spanish regime, Batanes was made a part of Cagayan. In 1909, however, the American authorities organized it into an independent province. Because of its strategic location, the Batanes island group was one of the first points occupied by the invading Japanese imperial forces at the outbreak of the Pacific War.

During the American colonial period, public schools suddenly boomed, and more Ivatan became more aware of their place in the Philippines. One of the first School Superintendents was Victor De Padua, an Ilocano, who in 1942-45 during the Japanese occupation was made Provincial Governor.

In 1920, the first wireless telegraph was installed, followed by an airfield in 1930. Roads were constructed and the Batanes High School was instituted.

In the morning of December 8, 1941, the Batan Task Force from Taiwan landed on the Batan Islands, the first American territory occupied by the Japanese. Japanese fighters from these islands took part in the raid on Clark Air Base later that same day.

During the Second World War, the Japanese army committed atrocities against the Ivatan. When the United States regained the country, Batanes regained its provincehood.

Oldest house in Ivana, Batanes made of corals

Beginning in 1945 liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces of the 1st and 12th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was landing at Batanes were attacked by Japanese forces in the island during the Battle of Batanes.

On July 23, 2007, a magnitude-5.2 quake rocked Batanes, but no damage or casualty was immediately reported. The United States Geological Service (USGS)(www.usgs.gov), said the quake was recorded at about 10:58 a.m., with the epicenter at 40 km south of Basco town in Batanes, about 250 km northeast of Laoag, Ilocos Norte; or 560 km south of Taipei, Taiwan.^[3]

On June 1, 2008, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the seabed off the coast of Batanes, but neither injuries nor damage was reported.^[4]

People and culture[link]

An Ivatan woman

The people of Batanes are called Ivatan and share prehistoric cultural and linguistic commonalities with the Babuyan on Babuyan Island and the Tao people of Orchid Island.

This divided homeland is a result of the Dutch invasion of Taiwan in 1624 ( Dutch Formosa ) and Spanish invasion in 1626 ( Spanish Formosa ). The northern half of the Ivatan homeland, Formosa and Orchid Island which were formally part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, fell to the Dutch who were in turn expelled in 1662 by forces of the Chinese Ming Dynasty, led by the Chinese pirate Koxinga who then set himself up as The King of Taiwan.

The southern half of the Ivatan homeland, the islands of the Batanes, was reinforced and fortified by Spanish refugees from Formosa before being formally joined in the 18th century with the Spanish government in Manila.

The main languages spoken in Batanes are Ivatan, which is spoken on the islands of Batan and Sabtang, and Itbayaten, which is spoken primarily on the island of Itbayat. The Ivatan which is dominant in the province is considered to be one of the Austronesian languages. From college level down to elementary level, the language is widely spoken.^[5]

Political[link]

Batanes is subdivided into 6 municipalities. Batanes has only one congressional district.

Municipalities[link]

Geography[link]

Topography[link]

Batanes Islands of Luzon Strait

Batanes lies on a group of islands collectively called Batanes Islands and they are the northernmost islands of the Philippines. They are located between the Babuyan Islands (belonging to Cagayan Province) and Taiwan. The islands are sparsely populated and subject to frequent typhoons.

The three largest islands are Itbayat, Batan, and Sabtang. The northernmost is Mavudis Island.

Almost one-half of Batanes are hills and mountains. Batan Island, with a land area of 35 km², is generally mountainous on the north and southeast. It has a basin in the interior. Itbayat Island, which has a total area of 95 km², slopes gradually to the west, being mountainous and hilly along its northern, eastern coast. As for Sabtang, mountains cover the central part of its 41 km² area, making the island slope outward to the coast.

The islands are situated between the vast expanse of the waters of Bashi Channel and Balintang Channel, where the Pacific Ocean, merges with the China Sea. The area is a sealane between the Philippines and Japan, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is rich with marine resources, including the rarest sea corals in the world^[which?].

The province is hilly and mountainous, with only 1,631.50 hectares or 7.10% of its area level to undulating and 78.20% or 17,994.40 hectares varying in terms from rolling to steep and very steep. Forty two percent (42%) or 9,734.40 hectares are steep to very steep land.

Because of the terrain of the province, drainage is good and prolonged flooding is non-existent. The main island of Batan has the largest share of level and nearly level lands, followed by Itbayat and Sabtang, respectively. Itbayat has gently rolling hills and nearly level areas on semi-plateaus surrounded by continuous massive cliffs rising from 20–70 meters above sea level, with no shorelines. Sabtang on the other hand, has its small flat areas spread sporadically on its coasts, while its interior is dominated by steep mountains and deep canyons. Batan Island and Sabtang have intermittent stretches of sandy beaches and rocky shorelines.^{[citation needed]}

The terrain of the province while picturesque at almost every turn, has limited the potential for expansion of agriculture in an already very small province.

Climate[link]

Gloomy sky over the lighthouse in Basco

The subtropical climate of the province is similar to those of neighboring Taiwan and Okinawa. Sometimes the island experiences below the normal low of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 °C).

There is a misconception that Batanes is constantly being battered by typhoons. If Batanes is always mentioned in connection with weather disturbances, it is because its capital, Basco, holds the last weather station in the north. It is a reference point for all typhoons that enter the Philippine area of responsibility. It has no pronounced wet or dry season. It enjoys practically four seasons, the best ones being summer (April–June) and winter (December–February), when the temperature dips as low as seven degrees Celsius.

Mid-March to June is a favorite time for tourists to visit due the relatively lower chance of rain. However, the rest of the year can still offer a pleasant experience for visitors. An Indian summer supposedly takes place in September. Sometimes, the weather is nice as early as February and as late as July. North or east winds bring in cooler air. They also bring in weather fronts and cloud build-ups that could cause flight cancellations. Cool weather—a phenomenon Ivatans like to call winter—prevails from December to February. When dealing with Batanes, always remember that, on these islands, the weather often changes suddenly. Just be ready for whatever heads your way.

Ecology[link]

Cows freely roaming in the green hills in Batanes

An extensive survey of the ecology of Batanes ^[6] provided the scientific basis for confirming the need for a national park in Batanes protecting the Batanes Protected landscapes and seascapes, proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, submitted on 15 August 1993.^[7]

Economy[link]

About 75% of the Ivatans are farmers and fishermen. The rest are employed in the government and services sector. Garlic and cattle are major cash crops. Ivatans also plant camote (sweet potato), cassava, gabi or tuber and a unique variety of white uvi. Sugarcane is raised to produce palek, a kind of native wine, and vinegar.

In recent years, fish catch has declined due to the absence of technical know-how. Employment opportunities are scarce. Most of the educated Ivatans have migrated to urban centers or have gone abroad.

A wind diesel generating plant was commissioned in 2004.

Distance and bad weather work against its economic growth. Certain commodities like rice, soft drinks, and gasoline carry a 75% to 100% mark-up over Manila retail prices.

Transportation[link]

The island province of Batanes is accessible by air and served by air with flights from SEAIR and SKYPASADA.

Picture gallery[link]

• 

  An old Spanish bridge in Ivana

• 

  Ruins at Sitio Songsong where a tsunami tragedy occurred that struck the seaside town in the 1950s

• 

  Pictures of Batanes Hills

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website of the Provincial Government of Batanes
• Batanes Islands Cultural Atlas
• Northern Luzon cultures

		Taiwan Luzon Strait
	South China Sea		Philippine Sea
		Batanes    East
		Luzon Strait Balintang Channel Cagayan

v t e Political divisions of the Philippines Capital Manila National Capital Region Autonomous region Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Provinces Abra Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur Aklan Albay Antique Apayao Aurora Basilan Bataan Batanes Batangas Benguet Biliran Bohol Bukidnon Bulacan Cagayan Camarines Norte Camarines Sur Camiguin Capiz Catanduanes Cavite Cebu Compostela Valley Cotabato Davao del Norte Davao del Sur Davao Oriental Dinagat Islands Eastern Samar Guimaras Ifugao Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Iloilo Isabela Kalinga La Union Laguna Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur Leyte Maguindanao Marinduque Masbate Misamis Occidental Misamis Oriental Mountain Province Negros Occidental Negros Oriental Northern Samar Nueva Ecija Nueva Vizcaya Occidental Mindoro Oriental Mindoro Palawan Pampanga Pangasinan Quezon Quirino Rizal Romblon Samar Sarangani Siquijor Sorsogon South Cotabato Southern Leyte Sultan Kudarat Sulu Surigao del Norte Surigao del Sur Tarlac Tawi-Tawi Zambales Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Sur Zamboanga Sibugay Former Provinces Agusan Ambos Camarines Camarines Cotabato Davao Kalinga-Apayao Lanao Lepanto-Bontoc Manila Mindanao and Sulu Mindoro Misamis Moro Province Negros Negros del Norte Occidental Leyte Oriental Leyte Samar Shariff Kabunsuan Surigao Tayabas Zamboanga Other subdivisions Island groups (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) Regions Cities Municipalities Barangays Legislative districts Territorial disputes North Borneo (Sabah) Scarborough Shoal Spratly Islands

v t e World Heritage Sites in the Philippines World Heritage Sites Baroque Churches of the Philippines (San Agustin Church  · Paoay Church  · Santa Maria Church  · Miag-ao Church)  · Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park · Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras ( Batad Rice Terraces  · Bangaan Rice Terraces  · Hungduan Rice Terraces  · Mayoyao Central Rice Terraces  · Nagacadan Rice Terraces)  · Tubbataha Reef · Historic Town of Vigan Tentative List Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary  · Angono Triglyphs  · Apo Reef Natural Park  · Baroque Churches of the Philippines Extension (Boljoon Church  · Guiuan Church  · Loboc Church  · Lazi Church  · Tumauini Church) · Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes  · Butuan Archeological Sites  · Chocolate Hills Natural Monument  · Coron Island Natural Biotic Area  · El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area  · Jesuit Churches of the Philippines (Guiuan Church  · Baclayon Church  · Loboc Church ) · Kabayan Mummy Burial Caves  · Liguasan Marsh  · Mount Apo Natural Park  · Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary  · Mount Iglit-Baco National Park  · Mount Malindang Range Natural Park  · Mount Matutum Protected Landscape  · Mount Pulag National Park  · Neolithic Shell Midden Sites in Lal-lo and Gattaran Municipalities  · Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and outlying areas inclusive of the buffer zone  · Paleolithic Archaeological Sites in Cagayan Valley  · Panglao Island, Bohol  · Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines  · San Sebastian Church  · Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines (Fuerza de Capul  · Dauis Watchtower  · Punta Cruz Fortification  · Fuerza de San Andres  · Fuerza de Sta. Isabel)  · Taal Volcano Protected Landscape, Batangas  · The Maranao Settlement of Tugaya  · The Tabon Cave Complex and all of Lipuun  · Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary Previous Nomination Historic Centre of Manila Intramuros  · Town of Taal

Loren Legarda
Legarda during the 45th NDCP Founding Anniversary in San Juan.
Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2007
In office June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2004
Majority leader of the Senate of the Philippines
In office July 23, 2002 – June 30, 2004
President	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Preceded by	Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.
Succeeded by	Francis Pangilinan
In office July 23, 2001 – June 3, 2002
Preceded by	Francisco Tatad
Succeeded by	Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.
Personal details
Born	Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda (1960-01-28) January 28, 1960 (age 52) Malabon, Metro Manila, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	NPC (2007–present)
Other political affiliations	Lakas-CMD (1998–2003) KNP (2004)
Spouse(s)	Antonio Leviste (1989-2003)
Children	2 sons
Residence	Manila
Alma mater	Assumption College University of the Philippines
Profession	Journalist
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	Loren Legarda Luntiang Pilipinas

Loren Legarda is a Filipino broadcast journalist, environmentalist, and politician of Visayan ancestry, notable as the only female to top two senatorial elections (1998 and 2007). During the 2004 Philippine general election, she ran for the position of Vice-President as an Independent with Fernando Poe, Jr. as running mate and again during the 2010 Philippine presidential election, for the same position as a member of the NPC with Manny Villar. She is considered as one of the five most influential women in the Philippines.

Advocacy[link]

Legarda is a notable advocate of Climate Change Awareness and has numerous achievements in the fields of social development and human rights advocacy along with her work in journalism. As a journalist, she has received many awards. In 2008, she was chosen as "United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Asia Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation". She was a member of the Philippine delegation during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit.^{[citation needed]}

Early life[link]

Loren Legarda was born on January 28, 1960 in Malabon as Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda, the only daughter of Antonio Cabrera Legarda of San Pablo, Laguna, and Bessie Gella Bautista of Malabon.^[1] Her maternal grandfather was Jose P. Bautista, an editor of the pre-Martial Law newspaper, The Manila Times.^[2] As a teenager, she appeared as a commercial model and/or DJ in various television and print ads for Close-up, Pond's cream, and Hapee toothpaste, among others.^[1]

Education[link]

She attended Assumption College from primary to high school,^[3] where she was a valedictorian. She attended university in the University of the Philippines, from which she graduated a cum laude.^[1]

Career[link]

RPN 9 and ABS-CBN (1985-1998)[link]

Legarda began a career in journalism as a reporter for RPN-9, during which she covered topics including Imelda Marcos' trip to Kenya and the People Power Revolution. During this period, she obtained a master’s degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines, graduating at the top of the class with gold medals for Academic Excellence and Best Thesis.^[4] Later, she would move to the television station ABS-CBN, where Legarda would achieve her best success in her career as a journalist. She became the anchor of the television newscast, The World Tonight, and became the host of the current affairs series, The Inside Story.^[1] An important moment in this time was her interview with Michael Jackson, who dedicated the song Heal the World to the Filipino people.^{[citation needed]}

During this period, she received more than thirty major awards, including the Catholic Mass Media Hall of Fame, KBP Golden Dove Award, the Gawad CCP,^[1] and the Ten Outstanding Young Men and Women award.^[3]

Senate, 1st term (1998-2004)[link]

After becoming urged by the Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos, Legarda ran for the Senate in 1998 under the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP Party.^[1] She was elected with more than 15 million votes, allowing her to be the highest vote-getter in that year's election. During her tenure, she played crucial roles in the release of several hostages abducted as a result of the Insurgency in the Philippines. These include the release from captivity of five military and police officers and personnel (including General Victor Obillo of the Philippine Army) held by the CPP-NPA-NDF in April 1999, of Philippine Army Major Noel Buan in April 2001 from two years of captivity, and fellow journalist Arlene dela Cruz from her Abu Sayyaf abductors in Jolo.^{[citation needed]}

During her first six years in the Senate, Legarda authored legislation benefiting women's and children's rights, such as the following:

• Anti-Domestic Violence Act - seeks to uphold and protect the basic human rights of women and their children.
• Anti-Child Labor law - limits the employment of children below 15 years old, restricts the hours of work of working children, expands working children's access to education, social, medical and legal assistance.
• Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act - aims to protect victims of human trafficking.

She also authored the following laws:^[1]

• Ecological Solid Waste Management Law - created the National Solid Waste Management Commission, which aims to establish segregation among garbage and wastes.
• Tropical Fabric Law - prescribes the use of Philippine tropical fabrics for official uniforms of government officials and employees and for the purposes, which require the use of fabrics in government offices and functions.

Aside from these achievements, she has allowed dozens of former child laborers to enroll in school through the Libro ni Loren Foundation. She established regular medical missions to benefit breast cancer patients through the Bessie Legarda Memorial Foundation, which was named for her own mother. Loren Legarda played a crucial role in the 2000-01 impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada, and her actions eventually helped spark the 2001 EDSA Revolution. She was later chosen to be the Senate's Majority Floor Leader from 2001-2004. ^[1]

2004 elections and ABC 5 (2004-2007)[link]

Senator Loren Legarda during a 2007 Philippine Military Academy ceremony.

In 2003, Legarda left Lakas-CMD (after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo broke her pledge not to run again for president) and joined the KNP coalition of Fernando Poe, Jr. as an Independent during the 2004 elections.

On January 18, 2008, in a 21-page resolution, penned by Senior Justice Leonardo Quisumbing, the Supreme Court of the Philippines, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), dismissed Sen. Loren Legarda's electoral protest against Noli de Castro. Three reasons supported the judgment: first, the PET approved the recommendation of Hearing Commissioner and former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair retired SC Justice Bernardo P. Pardo that “the pilot-tested revision of ballots or re-tabulation of the certificates of canvass would not affect the winning margin of the protestee in the final canvass of the returns, in addition to the ground of abandonment or withdrawal by reason of Protestant’s candidacy for, election and assumption of the office Senator of the Philippines”; second, Legarda’s failure to pay the P 3.9 million ($1=P 40) revision of ballots (in 124,404 precincts) fee despite court extension under Rule 33 of the PET; and third, jurisprudence of Defensor Santiago v. Ramos, teaches that Legarda "effectively abandoned or withdrawn her protest when she ran in the Senate, which term coincides with the term of the Vice-Presidency 2004-2010".^{[citation needed]}

Senate, 2nd term and 2010 elections (2007-present)[link]

In 2007, Legarda decided to run again for Senate under the banner of the Genuine Opposition coalition. She won, receiving more than 18 million votes, which allowed her to become the top vote-getter in that election. On January 10, 2008, rumors arose that Legarda would run for president after she topped a survey held during that period. Later that month, she donated 1 million pesos for 4-year-old deaf Filipino Raphael Angelo Provido’s cochlear implant at the Philippine General Hospital. She was instrumental in negotiating the release of ABS-CBN News journalist Ces Drilon from the Abu Sayyaf.^[1] On July 14, 2009, she announced her intention to run as president during the 2010 elections.^[5] On August 15, her bill, the Magna Carta on Women was passed.^[1] On October 23 of that same year, during the launch of her humanitarian program "Lingkod Loren in Luneta",^[1] she formally declared her intention to run for vice-president in 2010 under Nationalist People's Coalition with the platform of environmentalism.^[6] After Francis Escudero, expected to run for president, left the NPC,^[7] she decided that it would be best to stick with the Nacionalista Party's presidential candidate, Manny Villar, as a guest-running mate.^[1]

So far in her second term as senator, Legarda has filed the following laws:

• Expanded Senior Citizens Law - seeks to increase the discount granted to senior citizens to 32% on goods and services, impose stiffer penalties to establishments which refuse to honor senior citizen card, etc.
• Climate Change Law - builds resilience to the impacts of climate change through the mainstreaming of climate change in various phases of policy formulation, development plans, poverty reduction strategies and other development tools by all agencies of government.
• Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Act - requires lending institutions to allocate at least eight percent of their total loan portfolio to micro and small businesses.
• Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act - fixes the maximum retail price of certain medicines and increases access of cheaper medicines in the country.
• Revised Agri-Agra Law - mandates banks to devote 25% of their loanable funds to agriculture and agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Legarda lost her bid for the Philippine vice-presidency to Jejomar Binay placing third in the 2010 Philippine presidential elections. As a result, she continuedto serve in the Senate. In 2010, Legarda was given chairmanship for the Senate committees on climate change, cultural communities, and foreign affairs.^[8] She would later go to the United Nations to deposit the Philippines ratification for the International Criminal Court membership.^[9] As a result of Koko Pimentel's win in his case against Juan Miguel Zubiri, evidence about Legarda's cheating allegations against Noli de Castro and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have surfaced.^[10][11]

Cables leaked by Wikileaks include her as one of the five most influential women in the Philippines, together with journalist Malou Mangahas, Ombudswoman Merceditas Gutierrez, former Isabela Governor Grace Padaca, and celebrity icon Kris Aquino.^[12]

Environmentalism[link]

With her "Luntiang Pilipinas" foundation, Legarda has planted over two million trees all over the Philippine archipelago.^[1] The charity also launched its 10@10: The Ten Million Trees Campaign, a viral tree planting campaign with the intention of planting 10 million trees by the year 2011. This campaign aims to contribute to the United Nations Environmental Program, which aims to reach the seven billion-tree mark by 2009. One of her major accomplishments as an environmentalist is the passage of the Climate Change Act in October 2009.^[1] She filed this bill two years ago, through inspiration from the Albay Declaration, the outcome document of the First National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation, as it called for “the passage of a policy prioritizing climate change adaptation in the national agenda”.^[2] Legarda was chosen by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a member of the Philippine delegation during the 2009 Copenhagen Summit.^[2]

Legarda was named as one of the "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2000, and was awarded by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) in Turin, Italy, for her work on the environment in 2001.^[4] In 2004, she became an Environment Awardee of the Priyadarshni Academy in Mumbai, India. In 2008,^{[citation needed]} Legarda was appointed as UNISDR Asia Pacific Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation,^[2] and she participated in the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction, the BBC World Debate: ‘Prevent or React’, and the Forum on the Human Impact of Climate Change in Geneva, Switzerland.^[13]

Personal life[link]

She has two sons, Lorenzo Leviste and Leandro Leviste.^[1] She is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Philippine Air Force Reserve Corps. The Maranao Sultanate League of the Moro people bestowed the honorary title of "Bai Alabi" ("Princess") on her.^[2][14]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Luntiang Pilipinas

Senatorial history of Loren Legarda v t e <14th Senators of the 15th Congress of the Philippines (2010-2013) 16th> Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (2010–present) # Senior Senators (2007–2013) Junior Senators (2010–2016) Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Panfilo Lacson Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Aquilino Pimentel III (2011–present)## Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri (2007–11)## Vacant (since 2010)### Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Franklin Drilon Jinggoy Estrada Teofisto Guingona III Lito Lapid Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Sergio Osmeña III Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Bong Revilla Tito Sotto Term ends June 30, 2013 Term ends June 30, 2016 # — Ponce Enrile was also the Senate president of the 14th Congress. ## —Zubiri resigned from office on August 3, 2011, replaced by Pimentel afterwards. ### — Vacant due to election of Benigno Aquino III to the presidency. v t e <13th Senators of the 14th Congress of the Philippines (2007-2010) 15th> Senate Presidents Juan Ponce Enrile (2008-2010) · Manny Villar (2006-2008) # Senior Senators (2004-2010) Junior Senators (2007-2010) Rodolfo Biazon Lito Lapid Jinggoy Estrada Pia Cayetano Miriam Defensor Santiago Richard Gordon Jamby Madrigal Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Juan Ponce Enrile Bong Revilla Mar Roxas Vacant ## Edgardo Angara Benigno Aquino III Joker Arroyo Alan Peter Cayetano Francis Escudero Gregorio Honasan Loren Legarda Francis Pangilinan Antonio Trillanes IV Manny Villar Juan Miguel Zubiri Panfilo Lacson Term ended June 30, 2010 Term ends June 30, 2013 # — Villar was also the previous Senate president of the 13th Congress. ## — Vacant due to election of Alfredo Lim as the mayor of Manila. v t e <11th Senators of the 12th Congress of the Philippines (2001-2004) 13th> Senate Presidents Franklin Drilon (2001-2004) # Senior Senators (1998-2004) Junior Senators (2001-2007) Teresa Aquino-Oreta Robert Barbers Renato Cayetano ## Teofisto Guingona, Jr. ‡ Gregorio Honasan ‡ Robert Jaworski Loren Legarda Blas Ople ‡‡ John Henry Osmeña Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. Ramon Revilla, Sr. Tito Sotto Edgardo Angara Joker Arroyo Franklin Drilon Luisa Estrada Noli de Castro ‡‡‡ Juan Flavier Panfilo Lacson Sergio Osmeña III Francis Pangilinan Juan Ponce Enrile Ralph Recto Manny Villar Term ended June 30, 2004 Term ended June 30, 2007 # — Drilon's Senate presidency continued until 2006 during the 13th Congress. ## — Position vacated when Cayetano died in 2003. ‡ — The appointment of Gloria Arroyo to Guingona to vice presidency made his position to the Senate vacant from January 20, 2001. On May 14, 2001, Honasan was elected to fill in Guingona's unfinished term until 2004. ‡‡ — Ople was appointed Foreign Affairs secretary in 2002. ‡‡‡ — In 2004, de Castro vacated his position when he was elected to the vice presidency.