PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday recognized the late Sen. Santanina Rasul as being a “trailblazer for equality and empowerment.”
The President sent his condolences to the family of Rasul, who passed away last November 28.
Rasul, who died at 94, served as senator from 1987 to 1992 and 1992 to 1995.
Marcos said her death is a loss not just to her family, but to the entire Filipino nation.
He expressed the hope that her family would find solace in knowing that Rasul’s extraordinary life and legacy will forever be etched in the nation’s history and the hearts of those she touched.
“As the first and only Muslim woman senator to serve the Philippines, Sen. Rasul broke barriers through her legislative endeavors and became a trailblazer for equality and empowerment. Her contributions were not just historic—they were transformative,” he added.
The President said Rasul championed the rights of marginalized communities, opened doors for women in the military, and inspired countless Filipinos, especially those from underrepresented sectors, to believe in their potential.
“Sen. Rasul’s legacy goes beyond her legislative accomplishments. She was a woman of wisdom, grace, and unshakable integrity. Her impact was felt not only within the halls of government but in the lives of the people she so selflessly served… She leaves behind a powerful reminder of the change one person can bring through courage, compassion, and conviction,” Marcos said.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. also honored Rasul, the first Muslim-Filipino woman lawmaker in the Philippine Senate.
“In her eight years as a legislator, she co-authored laws promoting and protecting women’s rights, Muslim affairs, family, and gender equality,” Galvez said, acknowledging Rasul for her landmark piece of legislation, Republic Act 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation-Building Act, that established policies to ensure Filipino women’s fundamental equality before the law and their equal rights and opportunities to men.
