Pia Cayetano

Early life and education

Cayetano was born on March 22, 1966, to Renato "Compañero" Cayetano, who would later become Senator, and German-American former school teacher Sandra Schramm.

Cayetano took up Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of the Philippines, and graduated cum laude in 1985. She then took up Bachelor of Laws at University of the Philippines Diliman. She graduated in 1991 with academic distinction, #7 in her class. She also became a member of the Honor Society, Order of the Purple Feather.

Legal career

From 1992 to 1995, Cayetano was an associate lawyer at the Castillo, Laman Tan, and Pantaleon Law Offices, specializing in corporate and intellectual property law. From 1996 to 1999, she was an officer for the legal and corporate affairs of the Belle Corporation and its affiliates, including the gaming conglomerate BW Resources. In 2000, she was general counsel for the Philweb Corporation. In 2001, she was appointed chairwoman of the Maxi Group of Companies, a retailer and distributor of educational toys, infant apparel and accessories. In 2012, she opened her own cafe, Slice, at Bonifacio High Street in Taguig.

Cayetano and her brother Alan Peter are the titular hosts of public service program Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda (CIA with BA), which premiered in February 2023 on GMA Network.

Political career

Following the death of her father, Senator Renato Cayetano, due to liver cancer on June 25, 2003, several legislators, including senators, encouraged Pia Cayetano to run for office. As a result, she ran for a Senate seat in the 2004 elections. Initially, she was a virtual unknown to the electorate, but with the liberalization of political advertisements, she gained popularity with her TV advertisement as a runner, cyclist, and triathlete and as a new host of her father's TV program Compañero y Compañera for a short stint. She won in the elections, landing in the sixth position. In 2010, Cayetano ran for re-election as a guest candidate under the Nacionalista Party. She won, again landing in sixth place. Her second term as senator ended in 2016.

During the 112th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Manila, Cayetano was elected president of the 10th Meeting of Women Parliamentarians during the sidelines of the annual meeting. On April 17, 2008, she was elected for a two-year term, president of the Committee of Women Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) during its 118th General Assembly in Cape Town, South Africa. As the first Filipino and Asian to head it, she ran unopposed and took over from Uruguay's Mónica Xavier. This is the highest position held by any Filipino or Asian in the history of the IPU.

Cayetano pushed for the enactment of the ‘Magna Carta of Women,’ which seeks to end all forms of gender discrimination, and the ‘Expanded Breastfeeding Act,’ which establishes lactation stations in the workplace to encourage nursing mothers to continue breastfeeding even at work.

Cayetano is likewise credited for the passage of the ‘Expanded Senior Citizens Act,’ which allowed the elderly to fully enjoy the 20-percent senior citizens discount by exempting their purchases of medicines and other vital services from the 12-percent Value Added Tax.

She was responsible for passing the ‘Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Law’ and the ‘Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law,’ both of which seek to strengthen state mechanisms to ensure safe and affordable quality drugs for all. She also authored or co-authored the Foster Care Act (RA 10165), Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act (RA 10152), Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act (RA 10028), Establishment of Persons with Disability Affairs Office Act (RA 10070), National Anti-Rabies Act (RA 9482), and the Environmental Awareness and Education Act (RA 9512), among others.

Most recently, Senator Cayetano worked for the passage of two landmark laws, the Reproductive Health Act (RA 10354), for which she was the principal sponsor, and the Sin Tax Reform Act (RA 10351) which sought to fund government health programs from tax proceeds from cigarettes and alcohol products.

In 2016, she won as congresswoman of Taguig City's second district. She would later be named one of twelve Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives under the 17th Congress.

In 2019, she ran for a comeback to the Senate under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago coalition. She was successful, placing fourth and thus securing her third term. She was named chair of the Senate Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation and Futures Thinking Committee in 2019. She principally sponsored and authored the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) Law which was enacted into law in 2021. She became the first female chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in 2024.

As part of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, she, along with Aquilino Pimentel III led a senate hearing on Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in October 2024. In 2024, she defended the Senate Bill No. 2793, or the Philippine Natural Gas Industry Development Act, which aims to develop the Philippine natural gas industry.

In 2025, Cayetano successfully ran for re-election in the Senate under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate.

Personal life

Cayetano is an advocate of sports as part of a holistic youth development program, prevention of diseases, and the need for a healthy and fit lifestyle. She is the founder of Gabriel Symphony Foundation which was established following the death of her son Gabriel, who was diagnosed with multiple congenital anomalies. The foundation helps children with disabilities and life-threatening ailments.

She has three siblings: Alan Peter, an incumbent Senator who formerly served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Speaker of the House of Representatives; Rene Carl, a former councilor of Muntinlupa and the owner of the collectible figurine store "Maxicollector"; and Lino Edgardo, a television and movie director, former Barangay Chairman of Barangay Fort Bonifacio in Taguig, former congressional representative of the second district of Taguig, and former Mayor of Taguig. Cayetano is a mother to two daughters, Maxine and Nadine, and a son Gabriel, who died from complications of a rare chromosomal disorder in 2001. She is also a foster parent to Rene Lucas.

She is also the founder of the Compañero Rene Cayetano Foundation in memory of her father, which helps the underprivileged in the areas of health, education, and environment, as well as Pinay In Action (PIA), which promotes health, fitness, and women empowerment.

Electoral history

References

References

1. (June 2, 2021). "Senate approves bill imposing 5% tax on POGO gross revenues".
2. (December 6, 2019). "Former national athlete Pia Cayetano: PH hosting of SEA Games an "amazing decision"". Senate of the Philippines.
3. "The independent". The Manila Times Internet Edition.
4. Sen. Pia S. Cayetano]
5. "Senator Pia S. Cayetano - Senate of the Philippines".
6. [http://slicehighst.com/?page_id=8 Our Slice]
7. (February 3, 2023). "Cayetano in Action: Cayetano siblings to give free legal advice in new public service program with Boy Abunda".
8. (February 4, 2023). "Cayetano siblings nervous but very excited for new public service program airing on Feb. 5". mb.com.ph.
9. (February 7, 2023). "Cayetanos 'overwhelmed' by strong support for CIA with BA's pilot episode".
10. [http://rp5.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/18/08/pia-cayetano-named-ipu-committee-president Abs-Cbn Interactive, Pia Cayetano named IPU Committee president] {{webarchive. link. (April 2, 2015)
11. [http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/90272/news/nation/senator-elected-first-filipino-chief-in-int-l-body Senator elected first Filipino chief in int’l body. News. GMA News Online]
12. Sen. Pia S. Cayetano]
13. "Hon. Cayetano, Pia S.". [[House of Representatives of the Philippines]].
14. "House completes list of 12 deputy speakers".
15. (October 16, 2018). "Pia Cayetano rides bike to Comelec, files COC for senatorial bid". ABS-CBN News.
16. Bordey, Hana. (January 22, 2024). "Pia Cayetano replaces Tolentino as Senate blue ribbon chairperson". GMA Integrated News.
17. Rose, Carmelle. (October 21, 2024). "Cayetano, Pimentel to lead Senate probe on Duterte's drug war".
18. "Cayetano stands firm to promote indigenous gas".
19. [http://gabrielsymphony.com/ Gabriel’s Symphony]
20. [http://www.philstar.com/news-feature/745032/pia-finds-new-love-toddler Pia finds new love in toddler. News Feature, News, The Philippine Star. philstar.com]
21. "Pinay in Action {{!}} Women's Empowerment, Fun, Fitness, Health and Wellness".