Dr. Loren Legarda: NVSU Welcomes a Champion of Education, Culture, Sustainable Development

Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) welcomes Senator Loren B. Legarda into its academic family as it confers upon her the degree of Doctor of Education, Major in Educational Management, Honoris Causa, on October 3, 2025, in recognition of her exemplary leadership, lifelong commitment to education reform, and transformative contributions to nation-building.

Senator Legarda is a four-term legislator who has authored and sponsored landmark laws advancing inclusive, sustainable, and resilient national development. She remains the only woman to have topped two senatorial elections, in 1998 and 2007. A trailblazer in the Senate, she was its first female Majority Leader and later served as Senate President Pro Tempore during the 1st and 2nd Regular Sessions of the 19th Congress.

From 2019 to 2022, she represented the Lone District of Antique in the House of Representatives, serving as Deputy Speaker—the first and only Antiqueña to hold the post.

On the global stage, Senator Legarda has earned distinction for her unwavering advocacy for climate action and sustainable governance. She has been recognized as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, a UN Environment Programme Global 500 Laureate, ASEAN Biodiversity Hero, UNDRR Global Champion for Resilience, Commissioner of the Global Commission on Adaptation, Climate Vulnerable Forum Ambassador for Parliaments, and Women Political Leaders Global Ambassador for Climate and Environment.

A cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, Senator Legarda holds a Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa from the same institution. She also topped her class at the National Defense College of the Philippines, completed the AFP Command and General Staff Course, and currently serves as a full colonel in the Philippine Air Force Reserve.

At present, Senator Legarda chairs the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, the Committee on Culture and the Arts, and was the first woman to chair the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation. She is also the Co-Chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), steering major reforms to address the country’s learning crisis.

As an author and co-sponsor of landmark legislation such as the Enhanced Basic Education Act (RA 10533), Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931), and the National Environmental Awareness and Education Act (RA 9512), Legarda has consistently advanced her vision of accessible, quality, and transformative education for all Filipinos.

Her recent educational measures—including the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act (RA 12080), Early Childhood Care and Development System Act (RA 12199), and the ARAL Program Act (RA 12028)—respond to the pressing needs of learners and educators nationwide. She also supports lifelong learning through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (RA 12124) and bridges the gap between education and employment through the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Framework Act (RA 12063).

In honor of teachers, Legarda co-authored and co-sponsored the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act (RA 11997), which raises the teaching allowance to ₱10,000 beginning 2025, and the Career Progression System for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act (RA 12288), which opens new pathways for professional growth.

Her commitment to education also extends to funding reforms. As Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance in 2017, she allocated ₱8 billion to begin funding free college education—an initiative that paved the way for the implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. Today, she continues to champion accountability and sufficiency in education budgets for state universities and colleges.

For NVSU, the conferment of this honorary doctorate is not only a tribute to Senator Legarda’s enduring service but also an affirmation of shared values—education, empowerment, and excellence.

Approved last year by the Board of Regents and CHED en banc when she was Chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and Arts, this recognition honors her tireless championship for Indigenous Peoples—especially meaningful for NVSU as a true melting pot of diversity, with Nueva Vizcaya home to 18 IP groups.

With her visionary leadership and steadfast advocacy for the Filipino learner, Dr. Loren Legarda now stands as an honorary alumna of Nueva Vizcaya State University—a symbol of wisdom, resilience, and national pride.

Indeed, NVSU welcomes Dr. Loren Legarda as one of its own—a true catalyst for education and change.