FOUR-TERM Senator Loren Legarda has been designated as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts for the 20th Congress, reaffirming her longstanding commitment to cultural preservation and national identity.
SUPPORTING ART AND CULTURE Sen. Loren Legarda is designated chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts. PHOTO FROM THE OFFICE OF SENATOR LEGARDA “I am honored by the trust of my colleagues and the Senate as an institution in choosing me to lead this important Committee. Through this Chairmanship, I am committed to deepening the understanding that our shared history, culture, and traditions, both tangible and intangible, are more than just markers of our identity. Arts and culture generate potential opportunities for development deserving of our utmost respect, protection, and promotion,” Legarda said.
A staunch and consistent champion of Philippine culture and the arts, Legarda has long led initiatives that elevate Filipino ingenuity on the global stage. She is the visionary and principal advocate behind the Philippines’ return to the Venice Biennale, the world’s most prestigious contemporary art platform, after a 51-year hiatus. She is also the key proponent of the country’s historic role as Guest of Honor at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair, the largest book trade fair in the world.
“Too often, culture and the arts are overlooked, perceived as beautiful and meaningful, but disconnected from the realities of daily life and economic survival. This is the misconception I am determined to redefine. Culture and the arts create livelihoods, businesses, and uplift local communities. They are threads that weave our national narrative and inspire creative innovation, building our nation toward inclusive and sustainable growth,” Legarda stated.
Legarda is the author and co-sponsor of landmark legislation, Republic Act No. 10066, or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, which provides for the protection and conservation of the country’s cultural heritage. She is also the author of RA 10908, the Integrated History Act of 2016, mandating the inclusion of Filipino-Muslim and Indigenous Peoples’ history, culture, and identity in the study of Philippine history. She authored and served as principal sponsor of RA 11961, which strengthens heritage conservation through cultural mapping and an enhanced cultural heritage education program.
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For her leadership and untiring support for art and culture, she was conferred the Dangal ng Haraya – Patron of Arts and Culture Award by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
For her advocacy and significant contributions to the rights and welfare of Indigenous Peoples, various groups have honored her with titles such as Bai a Labi by the Marawi Sultanate; Tukwifi, which means ‘bright star’ by the Cordillera Indigenous Elected Women’s Leaders League; Cuyong Adlaw Dulpa-an Labaw sa Kadunggan by the Panay Bukidnon from the Visayas, which translates to ‘shining sun rising in power;’ and Bae Matumpis by the cultural communities of Mindanao, which means ‘the one who takes care.’
