Friday, June 22, 2007

Manila-U.S. Times

Executive Profile of the Week
Hon. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan

SEN. KIKO PANGILINAN

The Youngest to become Councilor is also the youngest to become Senator since 1937

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Senate Majority Leader, is the youngest to assume the post since 1937. He was the Special Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker at the June 8, 9 and 10, 2007 celebration of the 109th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.

In the early stage of his political career, Pangilinan was elected as the youngest City Councilor in Quezon City in 1988. He became Minority Leader, Quezon City Legislative Council, from 1991-1992.

He holds a masters degree in Public Administration. His Area of Concentration: Strategic Management, which he obtained from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from College of Law, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

A double-degree holder, Kiko, as he is fondly called, also finished his Bachelor of Arts in English degree, Major in Comparative Literature, College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines.

He went to La Salle Greenhills in Mandaluyong City for his secondary and primary education.

Professional Qualifications

He has been a member of the Philippine Senate since 2001, and was recently re-lected with a commanding lead throughout the Philippine archipelago, and all over the world, where there are Filipinos who participated in the May 14 midterm electoral process.

Top 12 Senators

In North America, Pangilinan was the Topnotcher. He garnered the highest votes of 2,453, as contained in the Certificate of Canvass of Votes duly signed by the Special Board of Canvassers -- Domingo Nolasco, Chairman; Consul Gines D. Gallaga, Vice Chairman; and Cynthia D. Tayam, Secretary, which the MANILA-U.S. TIMES obtained from the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Following him closely were: (2) Ralph G. Recto, 2,089; (3) Joker P. Arroyo, 2,083; (4) Manuel B. Villar, Jr., 2,060; (5) Benigno Aquino III, 2,030; (6) Loren B. Legarda, 2,041; (7) Edgardo J. Angara, 1,685; (8) Michael T. Defensor, 1,593; (9) Aquilino L. Pimentel III, 1,461; (10) Vicente P. Magsaysay, 1,457; (11) Panfilo M. Lacson, 1,417; and (12) Sonia M. Roco, 1,388.

It is interesting to note that these votes were cast without any influence from anyone. This was the true pulse of the Filipino-Americans. While Loren Legarda is ranked No. 1 in the Philippines, she is No. 6 in the U.S., and Francis Escudero, No. 2 in the Philippines, did not make it to the Magic 12. He garnered 1,333 votes only.

Responsible Positions in the Senate

Pangilinan occupies other responsible positions in the Philippine Senate, as Chairperson, Committee on Rules, with jurisdiction on all matters relating to the Rules of the Senate; the Calendar as well as Parliamentary Rules and the order and manner of transacting business and the creation of committees.

From August 2001 to present, Kiko has been the Senate Representative to the Judicial and Bar Council, a constitutional body tasked to review and recommend appointments of justices and judges in the Philippine Judiciary.

From February 10, 2003 to January 2004, Kiko was the Chairperson, Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, which managed matters within the Senate jurisdiction relating to the promotion and development of the state education of the country and the preservation, enrichment and evolution of Filipino Arts and Culture.

From August 2001 to January 12, 2004, Kiko was the Chairman, Committee on Justice and Human Rights. He was and is a principal in the struggle for reforms in the Philippines Judicial System and the upholding of Human Rights. He also chaired the Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement, as well as the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, with jurisdiction over matters relating to the conduct, rights, provileges, safety, dignity, integrity and reputation of the Senate and its members.

Senator Pangilinan authored and sponsored a number of important and relevant bills in the Senate, like the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act; Improvement on the salaries and benefits to justices, judges and memberf of the Judiciary; strenghtening and rationalizing the National Prosecution Service; Anti-domestic Violence Bill; curtailing Entertainment and Media Piracy in the Philippines; Anti-Money Laundering; Prohibiting the Imposition of Death Penalty; Human Rights Consciousness; National Service Training Program; Citizenship Retention Act; Filipino Overseas Absentee-Voting; Amending the Philippine Teachers Professionalization; Creation and conversion of various State universities and colleges; Creation of local courts; and Amending the Labor Code of the Philippines, by rationalizing the Composition and Functions of the National Labor Relations Commission.

Affiliation

Pangilinan is the Chairman of the Liberal Party of the Philippines, the second oldest political party in the Philippines.

Mediaman

Prior to getting elected senator, Kiko Pangilinan was Anchorperson, "Barangay Dos TV Show" ABS-CBN Channel 2 (2000-2001); Anchorperson, "Relos Report with Atty. Kiko" over DZMM 630 khz. (1999-2001); Anchorperson, "Batas" over DZMM 630 khz.(1998-2001); Co-anchor, "Hoy Gising" TV Show ABS-CBN (1993-1997); Legal Analyst, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, News and Current Affairs Department (1993-2001); Head, Legal Desk, ABS-CBN (1998-2001); and Anchorperson, DZMM Aksyon Ngayon (1994-1997).

Academe

Senator Pangilinan was a lecturer on Civil Law, Political Law and Labor Law,Department of Management, Ateneo de Manila University (1993-2000).

International Conferences and Delegations

The Senate Majority Leader in the following: -- Law and Justice: The Caseof Parliamentary Scrutiny Association of the Prevention of Torture, theInter-Parliamentary Union and the International Commission Jurist in Geneva,Switzerland, 25-27 September 2006; ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum,Singapore, September 28-29, 2005; Parliamentary Visit to the People's Republic of China, April 6-11, 2004; Asia Pacific Agenda Project Forum 2004, March 19-21, 2004; Tokyo, Japan; 4th ASEF Young Parliamentarians Meeting,October 17-20, 2002, Venice, Italy; Senate Representative to President GloriaMacapagal-Arroyo's State Visit to the People?s Republic of China and Hong Kong, October 28-November 1, 2001; and Financial Underpinnings of Terrorism, August 6-8, 2001, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

Awards and Recognition

Testimonial of Appreciation to Senator Kiko Pangilinan, for institutionalizing CourtAnnexed/Referred Mediation Program in the Philippines and the establishment ofthe Philippine Mediation Center, San Fernando, Pampanga; Supreme Court of thePhilippines/Philippine Judicial Academy/Philippine Mediation Center/USAID &Asia Foundation presented. November 2006;

Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award for Public Service for 2002 -- San Fernando, Pampanga, October 2002;

University Medal of Honor for Exemplary Performance in Public Service --Angeles University Foundation, Angeles City, Pampanga, March 2002.

Certificate of Recognition -- Exemplary Contributions in the Field ofInvestigative Journalism and the Criminal Justice System, Crusade Against Violence (CAV) in 1996.


Pangilinan Family

SENATOR FRANCIS "Kiko" PANGILINAN, shown here with wife, Sharon Cuneta, and daughters Simone Francesca Emmanuelle, Mariel Daniella Sophia and Ma. Kristina Cassandra (right).

Kiko Pangilinan is married to Philippine Megastar Sharon Cuneta, with whom he has two daughters -- Simone Francesca Emmanuelle and Mariel Daniella Sophia. Sharon has a grown-up daughter, Ma. Kristina Cassandra, also a singer, by her estranged husband Gabby Concepcion. But as a doting father, Senator Kiko has adopted KC as his own and showered her with endless love and blessings a biological father would do. KC is now a Pangilinan, although she does still go by her biological father's family name. It was only recently that KC saw her biological father in the US (for the first time in 10 years) which was a surreal experience for her, but for more than half her life, she grew up calling Senator Kiko "dad," and he is the dad she knows.














SENATOR KIKO PANGILINAN (seated at the presidential table, 2nd from left), with from left: Consul General Mary Jo Bernardo Aragon of the Philippine Consulate General-Los Angeles; State Senator Jenny Oropeza, and Kalayaan of Southern California, Inc. (KOSCI) President Lydia F. Soriano. Standing (left to right) are: Jush Andowitt, Publicity and Marketing Consultant, Polaris Media & Marketing; Johnny M. Pecayo, Chairman-Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, MANILA-U.S. TIMES, and Chairman PR & Publicity Committee, KOSCI; and Rene Ramos, Director of Operations & Marketing, El Pollo Loco. -- MUST PHOTO BY BHETH EDRA

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