Senator Pia S. Cayetano marked the beginning of Women’s Month with a visit to Batangas City, where she met with women leaders, barangay captains, senior citizens, youth leaders, and members of the LGBTQ+ community at the Sampaguita Farm Function Hall.
Addressing the crowd, she expressed her joy in being back in Batangas Cayetano and shared that Batangas City was the first stop she personally requested for her Women’s Month tour, noting her close ties with Batangas leaders. “Kayo po ang unang pinuntahan ko for Women’s Month. Buong March, ako’y maglilibot. Pero ang Batangas City, ang unang-unang ni-request ko bisitahin,” she said.
Senator Cayetano recalled how her experiences as a mother shaped her work as a legislator, particularly in championing health policies that protect women and children. She shared the painful story of her youngest son, Gabriel, who was born with multiple health complications and passed away before his first birthday. “Hindi ko gusto na maranasan ng mga ibang nanay ang naranasan ko. Araw-araw ako nasa ospital, araw-araw, hanggang sa namatay siya.” This personal experience motivated her to pass laws that make vaccines and essential healthcare more accessible, including the law requiring Hepatitis B vaccination within 24 hours of birth. “Ang hindi ko matanggap, yung umiiyak ang nanay kasi may sakit ang anak niya na pwede sanang naiwasan,” Cayetano stressed.
After the community visit, Senator Cayetano proceeded to Batangas State University (BatSU), where she was welcomed by University President Dr. Tirso Ronquillo and College of Medicine Dean Dr. Dolores Viliran. During the visit, she checked on the progress of a dormitory project funded through her efforts in the Senate. She explained the importance of this facility, saying, “Na-realize na anlawak-lawak ng bansa natin and the opportunity for deserving students who probably live two to three hours away from the city center is not available to them.” She added, “That opportunity is lost to them kung may scholarship nga sila. Tapos three hours away sila, mag-commute yun araw-araw kahit sabihin mong two hours away. And that’s why my dream project is here.”
Cayetano also highlighted BatSU’s College of Medicine as a key accomplishment under the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act, which provides scholarships for aspiring doctors in state universities. She explained how her work on the national budget for education and health ensures that the scholarships come with proper facilities and equipment. “It’s not enough that we just have scholarships… we have to provide the equipment, the faculty, and everything else needed to run a quality program,” Cayetano said. She proudly noted that from just eight state universities offering medical programs in 2020, there are now 25—including BatSU. “So proud now that when we started this project, I think there were only eight state universities that had a College of Medicine and now there’s 25. And Batangas State University is one of them.”
