Official Website of Philippine Senator Pia Cayetano

Category: Featured

  • Pia seeks new tack to reduce school dropout rate

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano believes that it is possible to effectively reduce the number of school dropouts throughout the country by giving educators the means to support students with learning disabilities. 

    Cayetano, in a radio interview in Cebu City on Thursday, stressed that students who drop out of elementary and high school usually have special needs early on that were not given proper attention. 

    “The reality is, many out of school youths dropped out because they had learning disabilities. They had no access to support systems in their school. It’s very possible that their own parents, perhaps due to poverty, also had no ability to support them,” she said.

    A 2018 study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) showed that undiagnosed learning disabilities are among the most common causes of risk for dropping out among Grades 1-6 students.

    “These children simply could not cope with the pressure. So we need to identify and assist these kids before they drop out. We need schools, especially during the first three grades, to have assistant teachers who can give additional attention to them,” Cayetano noted. 

    The congresswoman said she plans to discuss with the Department of Education a proposal to establish volunteer programs for parents who are willing to assist teachers in responding to specific needs of students in the classrooms.

    Cayetano also called on Sangguniang Kabataan leaders in the country to help encourage out-of-school youths to return to school by taking advantage of programs available to them, such as Alternative Learning Systems or ALS. 

    “Let’s find a way for them to excel and then bring them back in alternative learning systems,” she added, while citing the Open High School Program, a system of education that uses multimedia technologies and flexible class schedules to allow students to continue their studies beyond the conventional classroom setup.

    The author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 10665 or the Open High School System Act, Cayetano vowed to push for the law’s proper implementation by ensuring that every school district in the country offers ALS programs for high school students. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano discusses her proposed programs on education and employment in a local radio interview in Cebu City on Thursday.

  • Pia vows to champion pro-youth measures

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano on Monday vowed to fight for a ‘package’ of education laws in Congress that will cater to all the needs and concerns of Filipino students. 

    In a radio interview in Dumaguete City, the congresswoman said she plans to file bills that will complement the pro-education measures that she authored in previous Congresses. 

    “I want to file continuing laws or a series of interrelated measures that will really contribute to the welfare of our students. It’s not enough to have only one idea. We need to cover all the concerns of each sector,” she stressed. 

    For one, Cayetano said she wants to strengthen the implementation of Republic Act 10647 or the Ladderized Education Act, which she authored and sponsored in the Senate. It institutionalizes the ladderized interface between technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education.

    “Under the law, students have the option to find work after finishing a short course on technical-vocation and then study an advanced course afterwards, with all their experience credited,” Cayetano explained.

    On the other hand, she cited that ladderized programs are not yet available in many schools in the country. Hence, she wants more educational institutions to develop such programs.

    “What I am planning to do if I get back to the Senate is to check how many schools are already offering this program. Not all students have the means to continue studying, some have to work after they graduate,” Cayetano said. 

    Furthermore, the Taguig representative said she wants to introduce an amendment in Republic Act 10648 or the Iskolar ng Bayan Law, to provide additional educational assistance to deserving students. 

    “Without the support in terms of allowances for transportation, board and lodging, and other school supplies, free tuition will not be enough for many students,” noted Cayetano, who also authored RA 10648.

    “One of the work that I really need to do is to bring back my original proposal under the Iskolar ng Bayan Law. I will amend that to include allowances for deserving students,” she added, stressing that the welfare of Filipino students should be a public concern.#

    Senatorial aspirant Pia Cayetano consults SK leaders at the ‘Painitan sa Tiangge’ in Dumaguete City about her proposed measures for the youth.

  • Pia seeks bigger budget to boost PH education

    Pushes for measures beyond free tuition

    In time for this year’s graduation season, Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano reiterated her commitment to champion measures that will improve the quality of education for Filipino students and provide them with more assistance.

    Cayetano was in Bacolod City on Sunday, where she met with members of the city’s Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation to discuss how she will push for programs to help the youth. The congresswoman said she intends to lobby for increased budget allocation for education to institutionalize measures that will complement the law on free tuition in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs).

    “Our education budget should not stop at free tuition. It should include investments in the quality of education. We should rank our universities and even the private schools based on this kind of quality,” she said in a mix of Ilonggo and English.

    Cayetano said more funds should be allotted for the improvement of schools’ infrastructure, training programs for Filipino teachers, as well as additional assistance for poor and deserving students. She noted that, despite the free tuition for college students, parents still have to shoulder expenses required to take their children to school, including costs for food, transportation, board and lodging, books, and other school supplies, among others.

    “There are many more benefits for our students that I plan to institutionalize if I return to the Senate,” Cayetano said in a radio interview also in the city. She said she plans to adopt the best practices of local governments in promoting better access to quality education, such as Taguig City’s Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In-need (L.A.N.I.), a comprehensive scholarship program intended for the city’s constituents.

    The LANI Program offers different scholarship types, including scholarships for students enrolling in premier Philippine universities, grants for those pursuing Masteral or Doctoral degrees, and review assistance for graduates preparing for their board or bar examinations.

    “In Taguig, we are very proud that we have a comprehensive program on education. Those are the kinds of programs that I want replicated; the best practices in education that we can institutionalize and standardize,” Cayetano noted. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia Cayetano speaks to SK leaders at the Manukan Country in Bacolod City regarding measures she plans to champion for the youth.

  • Pia to SK leaders: Promote entrepreneurship, financial literacy among youth

    Pia to SK leaders: Go beyond sponsoring sports tournaments; encourage financial literacy, entrepreneurship in your generation

    Nacionalista Party senatorial bet Pia S. Cayetano is encouraging youth leaders across the country to take the initiative in promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship among members of their generation, as a means to secure their future.

    “I want to plant these seeds in the minds of our youth leaders in the hope that they would come up with programs like this, and I would love to have the opportunity to help them also,” said Cayetano, a lawyer and entrepreneur who earned her economics degree from the University of the Philippines.

    The congresswoman was in Pampanga earlier this week where she had a sit-down discussion with leaders of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation in San Fernando City.

    In her talk with the SK leaders, Cayetano encouraged them to go beyond sponsoring the usual sports tournaments in their community, and try to initiate other programs that will promote financial literacy and entrepreneurship among their constituents. 

    “It’s interesting that we have a common interest, which is sports. But I also realize that it is not enough, because, as they told me, that’s what their sector already expects from them,” she said. 

    “I’m so happy because sports fills a big need in their sector. But I am encouraging them to explore other areas like financial literacy and entrepreneurship, (in order) to understand what they need to secure their future,” Cayetano added.

    Cayetano has been going around the country to discuss with youth leaders possible ways through which the government could respond to the needs and aspirations of their generation. 

    “God willing, if I’m re-elected to the Senate, I would make laws for the Filipino people – and they say we have a very young population. I have to always be in tune with the views of the Filipino youth. And there’s no other way but to sit down, discuss and listen to them,” she said, while stressing the need to prepare young Filipinos to become job-ready, globally competitive, and productive members of society. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano holds a sit-down discussion with youth leaders in San Fernando, Pampanga on Tuesday to talk about how the government could respond to their sector’s needs.

  • Pia aims to make senior high graduates job-ready

    If elected to a new term in the Senate, House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano said she would prioritize the evaluation of the country’s Senior High School (SHS) system to gauge whether the program has met the objective of making K-12 graduates job-ready. 

    “Sa larangan ng edukasyon, ang bibigyan ko ng prayoridad ay ang Senior High School program. Nagpa-graduate na tayo ng first batch ng Senior High Schools last year. Sa dalawang taon na kinuha natin sa buhay nila, ano bang mga skills ang natutunan nila?” Cayetano asked in a radio interview on Tuesday. 

    The youth and education advocate said that if given the chance to serve at the Upper Chamber, she would file a Senate resolution seeking to evaluate the implementation of the country’s K-12 Education Program, particularly the SHS programs in both public and private schools across the country. 

    To recall, the K-12 system aims, among others, to make senior high graduates job-ready or equipped with basic entrepreneurial skills. 
    A study conducted in 2018 by the Philippine Business for Education however showed that only 20 percent of the 70 leading companies in the country are open to hiring SHS graduates.

    Meanwhile, a separate study by JobStreet last year revealed that only 24 percent of employers using its website are ready to hire SHS graduates for entry level positions.

    “In fact, naka-draft na ang resolution. Ifa-file ko ito agad dahil gusto ko magkaroon ng immediate feedback sa lawmakers sa kung ano ba ang nangyari, kung job-ready ba itong mga bata,” Cayetano shared.

    The congresswoman recognized the need to further improve the country’s education system to better fit the demands of hiring industries, as well as to address the job and skills mismatch among Filipino graduates. 

    “May nagsasabi talaga sa side ng government at ng private sector na may demand, pero hindi raw nafi-fill. Kulang daw talaga ang mga skilled workers,” Cayetano lamented. 

    The senatorial aspirant then proposed to develop a human resource database for senior high and college graduates in the country in order to improve the government’s strategies in meeting the human resource needs of particular booming industries.

    Cayetano, who formerly chaired the Senate Committee on Education, is also pushing for the improvement of Filipino youths’ English proficiency to make them more globally competitive. #

    Senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano discusses her advocacies with youth leaders in Pampanga on Tuesday, including her call to strengthen the country’s Senior High School program to make graduates job-ready.

  • Pia’s birthday wish: More families opening homes to foster care

    Taguig Representative and senatorial aspirant Pia S. Cayetano on Friday led the launching of Taguig City’s Foster Care Orientation and Recruitment program, which seeks to encourage foster parenting among more Filipino families. 

    The institutionalization of foster care in the country as a preferred way of caring for abused, abandoned, or neglected children is mandated by Republic Act 10165 or the Foster Care Act of 2012. 

    The principal author and sponsor of the measure, Cayetano said she drew her inspiration from her own experience in fostering and eventually adopting her son, Rene Lucas Cayetano. 
    “Ang wish ko ay mapalaki ang lahat ng bata sa uri ng pamilyang kinalakihan ko – a family full of love, where the parents have a sense of responsibility to prepare their children for a better future” the congresswoman said. 

    Cayetano lauded the Taguig city government, under the leadership of Mayor Lani Cayetano, for serving as a model-city in promoting the importance of foster care through its orientation and recruitment program for foster parents.

    “I worked on the Foster Care Act for quite some time until it became a law. We really need to see it working in our local government units,” she said. 
    RA 10165 stresses that in most cases, foster care is more beneficial than institutional care, in that it provides children with the proper attention and love that only families can give. 

    For her part, the congresswoman stressed that there is a need to encourage more Filipinos to consider being foster families to neglected or abandoned children, and to subsequently train them on child care and development. 

    According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), about 1.8 million Filipino children are abandoned or neglected due to several reasons, including extreme poverty, natural disasters, and armed conflicts. 

    On the other hand, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) 2017 annual report showed that only 5,819 children were placed in residential care facilities run by the agency. The rest were either placed under institutional care or ended up on the streets.
    Apart from the launching of the orientation and recruitment program, Cayetano also witnessed the christening of three babies residing at the Taguig Lingap Center, the city’s temporary shelter for children at risk and the elderly. 

    Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano watches from the audience as former representative Lino Cayetano addresses city social welfare workers, volunteers and parents.
    Taguig Mayor City Lani Cayetano recounts the programs of the local government to support families and help children at risk.


  • Pia joins 50-km all-women ultra marathon in Cebu

    Lawmaker and running enthusiast Pia S. Cayetano was one of more than three hundred female runners who joined the 50-kilometer All-Women Ultra Marathon (AWUM) held in Cebu City over the weekend.


    The long-distance running event, which started on Saturday at 10 pm and ended early Sunday morning, is held annually and exclusively for women by running organizations in Cebu tocelebrate International Women’s Month.


    A staunch advocate of health, sports, and women’s empowerment, Cayetano joined 351 fellow women during the eighth edition of the run organized exclusively for women endurance runners. This is her third time to join the event.


    Upon reaching the finish line before 6 am on Sunday, Cayetano congratulated her fellow women participants who braved the long route around the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.


    The Taguig City lawmaker and Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate even had enough strength to do her trademark headstand at the finish line where she was applauded byorganizers and fellow runners.


    “For the third time, 50 kilometers! Congratulations to all the women out there! I draw my inspiration from all the women [who ran with me.] That’s why I can do this race, because of all the women. Their energy [motivates me],” Cayetano explained.


    She also thanked the organizers for putting up a successful event, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Cebu Hope Center, a home for sexually abused children.


    The principal author and sponsor of pro-women laws like the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) and the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (RA 10354), Cayetano hopes tocontinue fighting for initiatives that empower Filipinas, particularly by providing them with good health, free choice, and equal opportunities. #

    Festive mood at the starting line of the 8th All Women Ultra Marathon at The Terraces, Ayala Center in Cebu City.The long-distance race started at exactly 10 pm of Saturday, March 9.

    Still full of energy after finishing the 50-kilometer ‘ultra’ marathon race course, House Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano does her trademark headstand at the finish line in Ayala Center, Cebu City.

  • Pia reveals ‘3 gifts’ for women on Int’l Women’s Day

    Good health, free choice, and equal opportunities.
    These are the three ‘gift’ every Filipina deserves to receive and enjoy, senatorial candidate Pia S. Cayetano said on the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8.


    “Dahil espesyal ang araw na ito, gusto kong ipaabot sa bawat Pilipina ang tatlong mahahalagang regalong ito: Gift of Health o Kalusugan, Free Choice o Malayang Pagpili, at Equal Opportunities o Patas na Pagkakataon,’ Cayetano said in a speech delivered in a mix of Ilonggo, Filipino and English before thousands of political supporters at the PDP-Laban rally in Victorias City, Negros Occidental on Friday,
    Firstly, the Taguig representative stressed the need to provide quality affordable healthcare services for women employees, given the dual role they play as mothers and members of theworkforce.


    “Gusto ko pong mabigyan ng malusog na pangangatawan ang ating mga nanay lalo na pagkatapos manganak. Mahalaga ding makaiwas ang inyong mga anak sa anumang sakit,” shestressed.
    The staunch health advocate then cited two laws she authored on maternal and child health, namely, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law (Republic Act 11210), which was signed recently by President Rodrigo Duterte, and the Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunization Act (Republic Act 10152).


    Furthermore, Cayetano said women deserve to be accorded the ‘Gift of Free Choice,’ particularly in planning the number and spacing of their children and preparing for their family’sfuture.
    According to Cayetano, this was her inspiration in fighting for the passage of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act in 2012 (Republic Act 10354). The law grants Filipino families, especially the poor, free access to family planning services and commodities.


    Meanwhile, recognizing the crucial role of women in sustained economic growth, the congresswoman expressed her commitment to continue championing initiatives that provide equal opportunities for women in the workplace.


    “Dapat po ay husay at abilidad ang basehan para makapag-trabaho, hindi ang kasarian o edad ng isang tao,” stressed Cayetano, who also authored the Anti-Age Discrimination inEmployment Law (Republic Act 10911), which primarily seeks to help women who become victims of age discrimination in job hiring and employment.


    “This is my message to all the hardworking Filipinas this Women’s Day. Mananatili po akong handa na maglingkod sa inyo at sa inyong mga pamilya. We will keep working hard to ensure for you these three gifts, not only on Women’s Day, but every day of every year,” Cayetano concluded. #

  • Pia leads breastfeeding room launch in Congress

    ‘Perfect gift for HREP women employees on Women’s Month’

    House Deputy Speaker and Taguig City representative Pia S. Cayetano on Monday led the inauguration of the first breastfeeding room for nursing female employees of the House of Representatives (HREP) in Quezon City.


    The breastfeeding room resulted from the initiative of Cayetano, who had written the House leadership requesting the establishment of the facility as mandated by law. A similar request was also made to the House leaders in a separate letter sent by a group of breastfeeding mothers employed at the House.


    It was Cayetano, then a senator, who pushed for the passage of Republic Act 10028, or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act, which mandated paid lactation breaks for nursing mothers during work hours, and the establishment of lactation rooms in public places and facilities, as well as government and private offices.


    The landmark law was signed in 2009 by then President and current House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

    “Thank you to everyone who made this happen. To [Committee on Women and Gender Equality chair, Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy], to the Speaker and Secretary General… I hope we can continue working together to support women in the workforce,” Cayetano said.

    “If there are three mothers this month that will have the pleasure of using this lactation room, that would translate to three babies being breastfed longer and protected better,” she added.

    “What could be a better gift for nursing employees of the House of Representatives on Women’s Month than a breastfeeding room they could access in their own workplace? This facility is also open to non-employees, or breastfeeding mothers who happen to be visiting Congress,” she continued.

    “I hope we can see the establishment of more lactation rooms in the next months to come. The objective is to make it convenient for a mother to breastfeed. We want breastfeeding to be thefirst choice and, if possible, the only choice for mothers to ensure the health of our children,” Cayetano said.

    The former senator was joined at the inauguration by Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy, House Acting Secretary General Dante Roberto Maling, HREP officials and pregnant and nursing employees of the House.

    This was not the first time the Taguig representative personally worked for the proper implementation of RA 10028 in an institution tasked to craft and pass laws. During her term as Senator, Cayetano also pushed for the opening of a breastfeeding room at the Philippine  Senate headquarters in Pasay City. #

    House Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano is joined by Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy (BH Party-List), House officials led by OIC Secretary General Roberto Maling and nursing and pregnant women employees at the launch of the first breastfeeding room at the House of Representatives.
    The breastfeeding room was initiated by House Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano, who delivered a privilege speech and wrote a letter to the House leadership, and a group of nursing moms employed at the House of Representatives who made a separate request to Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

  • Pia hails Barangay Health Workers on Women’s Month

    Statement on Women’s Month by Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano (Taguig City, 2nd District)

    Today marks the start of Women’s Month, a celebration that highlights the contributions of women in building stronger communities and a better nation, one where every family is welltaken care of and nurtured.


    It is the most perfect time to recognize the different roles women play in our society – as vital members of the workforce, as government’s partners in social welfare, and as mothers who rearthe next generation of Filipinos.


    We particularly should acknowledge our real-life Pinays In Action, our barangay health workers (BHWs) whose commitment to protect the health of our children and families is truly unparalleled.
    In 2017, women made up 98 percent (272,315 out of 276,919) of the total number of active BHWs in the country. These Pinays In Action are the frontliners of our health programs.


    Now, at a time when our country is hounded by grave concerns like the decline in parents’ confidence in vaccines and the ensuing measles outbreak in some provinces, these same women are the ones working at the grassroots, promoting children’s health and convincing parents to have their kids immunized. It is therefore our honor to pay tribute to our women health workers during this month-long celebration.


    On a last note, and for our part, we assure all fellow Pinays in Action that we will continue to champion initiatives that uplift the lives of Filipinas and their families. We already started our fight in Congress, through the passage of key legislation like the Reproductive Health Act, Magna Carta of Women, and the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, which was recently signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. We intend to achieve more in the years to come, inwhatever capacity as advocates of women, the family and community. #

    Deputy Speaker Pia Cayetano addresses Barangay Health Workers and local government heath officers and personnel at the Oplan Alis Tigdas assembly organized by the provincial government of Pampanga.