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Letty’s Legacy of Love

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Reprinted from Manila Bulletin (14 May 2017, focusfeature.mb.com.ph By Raymund Magno Garlitos A mother’s illustrious life, seen through the eyes of her daughter Leticia Ramos-Shahani was a woman larger than life—a career diplomat who was once the highest ranking woman in the United Nations system; the first Filipina envoy to a communist nation; a lawmaker who co-authored some of the most significant laws for the country in the post-EDSA era; a tireless public servant who advocated moral recovery for the Philippines; a voracious reader who loved literature and philosophy; a polyglot who spoke at least five languages; a feminist in the league of the likes of Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem; and, most importantly, a parent who raised three children all by herself, in spite of these commitments. To her daughter, Lila Ramos Shahani, her mother’s mind and spirit have rubbed off onto her in many subliminal ways. “I’d like to think that, while I did not intentionally try to ...
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Letty Shahani’s singular act of sweetness

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Howie Severino Reprinted from 20 March 2017 GMA News Online , gmanetwork.com On my way out of an event at the Asian Institute of Management last November, former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani crossed my path. Instead of the perfunctory nod or hello, she stopped and told me, "I want you to know that my father thought very highly of your lolo. He used to say that Rod Severino was very useful to him in the foreign office." It was a startling, heart-warming reminder of my beloved lolo, with whom I lived as a teen-ager. Today, as we absorb news of Letty Shahani's death, I recall that moment as a singular act of sweetness. She could have just walked by; instead, my last memory of her was our fond reconnection as fellow members of diplomatic families, even if mine was nowhere near as prominent as hers. It reminded me that long before she became the younger sister of a president, she was the daughter of one of the country's foremost diplomats, the former Foreig...
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Shahani, Moral Recovery & Cultural Revival

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Given the different political, cultural and intellectual perturbations currently obtaining in these islands, I do believe that the ultimate way to save the country from either slow or violent disintegration is to engage in a Moral Recovery Program for the Philippines, or MoRPH (my acronym), as originally proposed almost 30 years ago by Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani on 18 September 1987 as embodied in Senate Resolution 10 "Directing a Senate Task Force to inquire into the strengths and weaknesses of the Filipino Character with a view to solve the social ills and strengthen the nation's moral fiber, thereby laying the groundwork for the national campaign for Moral Recovery," as recalled in Presidential Proclamation 62, "Declaring A Moral Recovery And Enjoining Active Participation Of All Sectors In The Filipino Society" signed by FVR on 30 September 1992 ( gov.ph ). I believe that such is the last lasting legal legacy of Shahani, who died 20 March 2017 of colon...
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UP On Shahani: Hardly Any Mention. Yet, What A Lady!

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As a UP alumnus, I am greatly embarrassed. As is, this photo is from the Facebook account of the University of the Philippines, which shares what the University Library Diliman has to say about her: The University Library Diliman mourns the passing of Leticia Ramos-Shahani (1929-2017), former Senator of the Philippines and UP alumni. ¶ Sen Shahani finished her elementary and secondary levels at the University of the Philippines . As the Chair of the Senate Committee on Education in 1992-1995, she was a member of the UP Board of Regents. An advocate of women's rights, Sen. Shahani was the Chair (1986-87) and a commissioner of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (1974-76). ¶ The Leticia Ramos-Shahani Papers can be found at the Special Collections Section of the UP Main Library. This generous donation was given to the Library before her retirement from public service, and is a legacy to Filipinos and researchers for generations to come. As is the image, th...
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Leni Robredo & Leticia Ramos-Shahani

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Ms Leni, columnist Rigoberto D Tiglao says today, is as good as dead (05 April 2017, manilatimes.net ): (Teaser: Social media reports so, but traditional media is oblivious.) IF the Yellow Cult still believes that Vice President Leni Robredo is their great hope for recapturing power, they should squarely face the facts. When they do so, the inescapable conclusion is that she is politically dead, and what we see now is a mere ghost who cannot accept her demise. Ms Leni as good as dead? If you believe the fake social media news, yes. The traditional media are the ones as good as dead, or should I say the traditional journalists like Mr Tiglao? – They are not serving their country, only their own interests. They are only after exercising their own power. On Ms Leni, I disagree with Mr Tiglao. Ms Leni is a survivor; she is one woman who is her own man. And so was Ms Leticia. She is dead but she is very much alive – she lives in the causes she fought for: women's righ...
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The Ghost Of Leticia Ramos-Shahani

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The Ghost Of Promises Past. In reference to our politicians' promises, in which the word promise has a double meaning: a vow made yesterday and a vision made for tomorrow. Up and down, our present politicians have lots of promises but so far have not delivered! The ghost of former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani haunts me, and I am glad. I've always been afraid of seeing a ghost, but not of this one – she makes me braver than I thought I could be! On her advice, this time, bravery is the soul of wit. Are you wit me? "Wit" refers to "intelligent playfulness" as well as "the natural ability to perceive and understand" ( American Heritage Dictionary ). Pity the living soul that is without wit! And we have a multitude among our Filipino politicians. Is Shahani gone? Only physically. Her ghost should haunt us now! (The original of the image above is a favorite of her daughter Lila; I have painterized it, which is a favorite trick of mine.) ...
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The House That Shahani Built

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This photo taken 06 August 2016 is of the members of the Nagkaisa Multi-Purpose Cooperative meeting in the inner room at the ground floor of the 2-story Danggay House, the one that Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani built in 1996 in her hometown of Asingan in Pangasinan, along with the Danggay Foundation. At the back, the 3 gentlemen seated are, from left, Patrocinio Sapigao, Nagkaisa Board member; Roger Daranciang, Nagkaisa Chair; and Lito Sales, Nagkaisa General Manager. You can't see me, another Board Member, as I am in front of the camera. As you can imagine, Danggay House has high ceilings in both 1st and 2nd floors, built  materiales fuertes , with strong & well-built foundations and materials. When Shahani built something, she meant it to last. Not to any other group, Shahani had given us Nagkaisa the keys to Danggay House on 12 April 2013, after she discerned that we were after the public good and could be trusted. Like begets like. She was the Chair of Dangga...
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