Loren Legarda

Lorna Regina Bautista Legarda was born on January 28, 1960 in Malabon. She is the only daughter of Antonio Cabrera Legarda of San Pablo, Laguna and of Bessie Gella Bautista of Malabon. She and her family have roots in Antique.Her maternal grandfather was Jose P. Bautista, editor-in-chief of the pre-Martial Law newspaper, The Manila Times, and one of the pillars of Philippine journalism.
As a teenager, she appeared as a commercial model and/or DJ in various television and print ads for Close-up, Pond's cream, Happee toothpaste, etc.
Loren completed her primary and secondary schooling at the Assumption with honors. She obtained a degree in broadcast communication, cum laude, from the University of the Philippines, the country’s premier university. While working as a journalist, Loren pursued further studies at the National Defense College of the Philippines, where she obtained a degree in national security administration and graduated at the top of her class, receiving gold medals for both Academic Excellence and Best Thesis. Loren is now a reserve officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Loren is the only woman in history who has topped the Senate race twice, once in 1998 with over 15 million votes and in 2007 with over 18 million votes. Loren made history when she was voted by her peers as majority leader the first woman to occupy the prestigious post.
During the 2004 Philippine general election, she ran for the position of Vice-President as an Independent with Fernando Poe, Jr. as running mate. Currently, she is running again for the Vice-Presidency with Manny Villar.
Loren is well known for her advocacies and civic undertakings in various fields encapsulated in the initials L.O.R.E.N. The acronym stands for Law and Order, Rights of Women, Youth and Children, Education, Environment and Employment; and Nationalism.

Loren’s biggest project in the environmental field is the Luntiang Pilipinas (Greening of the Philippines) Foundation, which she has founded. In partnership with other organizations, Luntiang Pilipinas has planted over two million trees. As a UNEP laureate, Loren is part of a global network of environmentalists assisting the UN organization in caring for the Earth’s resources.

To improve access to education in the rural areas, Loren organized the Libro ni Loren Foundation, providing textbooks and other reading materials as well as scholarships to underprivileged children. She founded the Bessie Legarda Memorial Foundation which helps indigent breast cancer victims.