Ex-senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani championed women issues

Former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, who passed away Monday morning, is the sister of former President Fidel V. Ramos. She played a major role in Philippine politics and humanitarian affairs especially women issues.

Shahani worked in the UN Division of Human Rights from 1964 to 1968, while in 1974, she chaired the Commission on the Status of Women.

Before being elected to the Senate in 1987, Shahani was ambassador to Australia from 1981 to 1986. She became the secretary general of the World Conference on the United Nations Decade of Women in Kenya in 1986.

She was also appointed as the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Social and Humanitarian Affairs.

Shahani left her UN post and returned to the Philippines to become the Deputy Minister for Philippine Affairs after the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

A senator from 1987 to 1998, Shahani was chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate President Pro-Tempore, and Chairperson of the Commitee on Education, Arts, and Culture, among others during her term.

She authored and sponsored various laws covering culture, education, agriculture, foreign service, women's rights, and animal rights.

Shahani is credited for initiating and advocating for the Moral Recovery Program, which is aimed at integrating ethical values into nation building and government.

She was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan to former congressman and Foreign Affairs Secretary Narciso Ramos and teacher and civic leader Angela Marcos Valdez of Ilocos Norte.

Married to Indian writer and professor Ranjee Shahani who passed away in 1968, she bore three children: Ranjit, Chanda, and Lila.

She finished her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and her master's degree in Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York. Shahani also has a Doctorate d’ Université in Comparative Literature from the University of Paris, France as a French government scholar, and defended her thesis with the highest honors.

The former senator previously gave "unsolicited advice" to President Rodrigo Duterte regarding his "formality" during meetings with international leaders, emphasizing the art of diplomacy. —KG, GMA News