Loren Legarda

The Honorable Colonel Loren Legarda
Portrait during the 18th Congress
President pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines
In office July 25, 2022 – May 20, 2024
Preceded by	Migz Zubiri (acting)
Succeeded by	Jinggoy Estrada
Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2022
In office June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2019
In office June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2004
Senate Majority Leader
In office July 23, 2002 – January 12, 2004
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.
Senate positions Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee In office May 18, 2017 – June 30, 2019 Preceded by Alan Peter Cayetano Succeeded by Koko Pimentel In office July 26, 2010 – July 22, 2013 Preceded by Miriam Defensor Santiago Succeeded by Miriam Defensor Santiago Chair of the Senate Finance Committee In office July 25, 2016 – June 30, 2019 Preceded by Francis Escudero Succeeded by Sonny Angara Chair of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee In office July 22, 2013 – July 25, 2016 Preceded by Migz Zubiri Succeeded by Cynthia Villar Chair of the Senate Climate Change Committee In office December 9, 2009 – June 30, 2019 Preceded by new office Succeeded by Nancy Binay Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Food Committee In office February 2, 2009 – July 22, 2013 Preceded by Edgardo Angara Succeeded by Francis Pangilinan
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
In office July 22, 2019 – June 30, 2022 Serving with several others
Speaker	Alan Peter Cayetano Lord Allan Velasco
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Antique
In office June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Preceded by	Paolo Everardo Javier
Succeeded by	Antonio Legarda Jr.
Personal details
Born	Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda (1960-01-28) January 28, 1960 (age 64) Malabon, Rizal, Philippines
Political party	NPC (2005–present)
Other political affiliations	KNP (2004) Independent (2003–2005) Lakas–NUCD (1998–2003)
Spouse	Antonio Leviste ​ ​ (m. 1989; ann. 2008)​
Children	2
Residence(s)	Malabon, Metro Manila Pandan, Antique
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Diliman (BA) National Defense College of the Philippines (MNSA)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Journalist
Website	Loren Legarda Luntiang Pilipinas
Nickname(s)	Bai A Labi (Honorary Muslim Princess) of the Marawi Sultanate League;[1] Tukwifi (Bright Star) of the Mountain Province Indigenous Peoples;[1] Bai Matumpis (The One Who Takes Care) of the unified congregation of 10 Davao indigenous people groups;[1] Cuyong Adlaw Dulpa-an Labaw sa Kadunggan (Shining Sun Rising in Power) of the Suludnon Indigenous Peoples of Panay[1]
Military service
Allegiance	Philippines
Branch/service	Philippine Army
Rank	Colonel

Lorna Regina "Loren" Bautista Legarda (born January 28, 1960) is a Filipina politician, environmentalist, cultural worker, and former journalist who is currently serving as a Senator and served as the president pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines from 2022 to 2024. This also makes her the first woman to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore in the upper chamber's history. Before entering politics, she began her career as a news reporter until becoming a news anchor. She previously served three terms in the Senate from 1998 to 2004 and from 2007 to 2019. She is the longest-serving female Senator in the history of the Senate, and the only female in the Philippines to top two senatorial elections: 1998 and 2007. Legarda was also the House Deputy Speaker during her three-year stint as the representative of Antique from 2019 to 2022.

Legarda ran for vice president in 2004 as the running mate of Fernando Poe Jr., but controversially lost to Noli de Castro, Legarda contested the result on an electoral protest where she also lost.^[2][3] She fell short again vying for the same position in 2010 as the running mate of Manny Villar.

Legarda is an 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.^[1] Her legislative work is focused on education, indigenous people rights, culture, women's rights, children's rights, and the environment. Some the notable laws she authored and co-authored include the Climate Change Act, Clean Water Act, Renewable Energy Act, Magna Carta of Women, Anti-Domestic Violence Act, National Cultural Heritage Act, Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, and the Universal Healthcare Law. Alongside her legislative work, she has also represented the Philippines to UNESCO multiple times. In 2018, Legarda became a Commissioner of the newly formed international organization, Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA).^[4] She also chaired the Climate Vulnerable Forum, which encompasses 20 climate vulnerable countries.

For her environmental work, Legarda has received numerous accolades; she was awarded 2001 UNEP Laureate as declared by the United Nations Environment Programme,^[1] a 2008 Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia and the Pacific as declared by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction,^[1] a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Champion by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2017.^[5] She was declared by the United Nations as a UN Global Champion for Resilience in 2015. She was the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Dangal ng Haraya Patron of Arts and Culture.^[6] She has been named as honorary princess and member by numerous indigenous people communities in the Philippines due to her support for indigenous people's rights since the 1970s. She was honored as a Chevalier in France^[7][8] and Cavaliere in Italy.^[9]