Philippine Senator Pia Cayetano and Pangasinan 3rd District Representative Rachel Arenas (first and second from left) confer with Thailand鈥檚 Member of Parliament Kiat Sittheeamorn (right) at the sidelines of the 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly and related meetings being held in Manama, Bahrain. | Photo from Sen. Cayetano鈥檚 office
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Pia Cayetano and Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas were elected to key standing committees of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
According to Cayetano in a statement on Sunday, their election 鈥渟ignals a vote of confidence in the leadership skills, not just of Filipinos, but of women as well, as it coincided with the celebration of Women鈥檚 Month.鈥�
Cayetano was elected by fellow Members of Parliament to occupy a seat in the IPU鈥檚 Standing Committee on UN Affairs representing the Asia-Pacific Group (APG), while Arenas was voted to the IPU鈥檚 Standing Committee on Sustainable Development.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to be elected Bureau Member of the IPU鈥檚 Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs, representing the Asia-Pacific Group (APG),鈥� said Cayetano, who also heads the Philippine Senate delegation to the 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain.
Cayetano was voted to the 18-member panel alongside Japan鈥檚 Hitoshi Aoyagi.
The senator also previously served as president of the IPU鈥檚 Committee of Women Parliamentarians from 2008 to 2010 鈥� the first Filipino and Asian to be elected to the position.
Formed in 2007, the IPU鈥檚 Committee on United Nations (UN) Affairs seeks to connect parliaments with UN activities and goals.
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