Senators to honor Shahani in necrological rites

MANILA, Philippines - Former and incumbent senators will pay tribute to the late former senator Leticia Ramos Shahani during necrological services scheduled tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the Senate. 

Shahani passed away before dawn on Monday at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City. She was 87.

Senate secretary Lutgardo Barbo said Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III will present a resolution to Shahani’s family, expressing the Senate’s sympathy and condolences on the death of the former senator.

Barbo said Pimentel, along with Sens. Loren Legarda and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and former senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Rene Saguisag will deliver eulogies for Shahani. 

Senate officials and employees, according to Barbo, will 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. The public can view the remains and pay last respects after the necrological service.

Born on Sept. 30, 1929 in Lingayen, Pangasinan, Shahani was the daughter of the late foreign affairs secretary Narciso Ramos and Angela Valdez. She was the younger sister of former president Fidel Ramos. 

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

She authored the Moral Recovery Program in 1987, a law that aimed to integrate ethical values in nation building. She also authored bills on women’s welfare such as 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 introduced the inclusion of the mandatory five percent allocation in the budget of every government department and agency for gender and development.

Shahani held various positions in the government such as ambassador to Australia (1981 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.

She was also among the highest-ranking women at the United Nations, serving as assistant secretary general for social development and humanitarian affairs from 1981 to 1986. 

She co-authored the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, was chair of the UN Commission on Women and secretary-general of both the Third UN Conference on Women and Seventh Congress on Crime Prevention and Treatment of Offenders in 1985.

Shahani finished her degree in English literature at the Wellesley College in Massachusetts and her Master’s in comparative literature at the Columbia University in New York. She earned her doctor of philosophy in comparative literature after defending her doctoral thesis with highest honors.

The former legislator was also a former dean of the Graduate School of Lyceum of the Philippines where she taught English Literature, French, Comparative Literature, among others.

Leni mourns Letty

Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday joined the nation in mourning the death of Shahani.

Describing Shahani as “a true public servant who will always be an inspiration to many,” Robredo cited Shahani for authoring laws protecting and empowering Filipino women.

“We offer our prayers and condolences to the family and loved ones of the former senator. May she rest in peace,” Robredo said on her Facebook account.  –  With Helen Flores