Risa Hontiveros

A distinguished figure in Filipino politics, Senator Risa Hontiveros has long been a prominent advocate for social justice and progressive policies. She was re-elected to the Senate in 2022, cementing her position as the highest-ranking opposition leader under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s administration.

Her career began in earnest as a teenage activist, organising protests against the Bataan nuclear power plant. After graduating cum laude from Ateneo de Manila University, she spent a decade as a journalist and news anchor, using her platform to amplify marginalised voices. Hontiveros entered politics in 2004 as a party-list representative for Akbayan, eventually winning a coveted Senate seat in 2016. Her legislative triumphs include championing health and women’s rights, with notable laws such as the Cheaper and Quality Medicines Law, the Philippine Mental Health Law, and the Expanded Maternity Leave Law.

Demonstrating her remarkable tenacity, 2025 marked a pivotal shift in her career. Following the midterm elections, Hontiveros successfully managed the senatorial campaigns of former colleagues Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, significantly expanding the opposition bloc. A subsequent shift in Senate leadership saw her move from Deputy Minority Leader to a member of the new majority bloc, where she was immediately named the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.

Her anti-corruption crusade reached a dramatic zenith in early 2025. Her sustained probe into Bamban mayor Alice Guo, suspected of being a foreign operative with links to illegal POGO activities, led to the mayor’s high-profile arrest and the subsequent, historic nationwide ban on POGOs.

On the legislative front, she saw the passage into law of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, crucial measures aimed at safeguarding national territory. Furthermore, she bravely called on the electric corporation Meralco to refund billions in overcharges, resulting in a substantial Php19.9 billion partial refund for consumers, alongside her 2024 wealth declaration public—a bold move for transparency. She continues to champion ambitious proposals, including a Php200 Daily Minimum Wage Increase Act and a Php15,000 across-the-board pay rise for public school teachers, further cementing her standing as the nation’s foremost progressive voice.