LINGAYEN—The province of Pangasinan mourned the death of former Sen. Leticia Ramos Shahani on March 20.

Shahani, 87, was afflicted with stage 4 colon cancer. She died at the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City where she had been confined for a month.

The provincial board passed a resolution extending its deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences to the bereaved family of Shahani, a Pangasinense born in this town.

SHAHANI

In a statement, Gov. Amado Espino III, said Pangasinan and the entire country lost one of the most distinguished women legislators that ever graced the halls of the Senate.

Shahani, he said, will surely be missed “by our countrymen as a staunch advocate of women empowerment who penned landmark legislations to uplift and protect women’s rights.”

As a daughter of Pangasinan, Shahani was lauded for her presence and ardent support for the endeavours of the provincial government, adding that these “will forever be etched not just in the annals of our province’s history but will also be engraved in the hearts of those whose lives she has deeply touched.”

Shahani was an ASNA awardee, the highest recognition given to outstanding Pangasinenses for the unparalleled achievements in their chosen field of endeavor that bring honor and glory also to their home province of Pangasinan.

Former Vice Governor Oscar Lambino, who was Shahani’s runningmate in the 1998 elections, said she was “ a big loss to our country and particularly to the province of Pangasinan considering that she was one of the brightest minds in the Senate”.

“An icon of public service has passed away but her meritorious works live on as part of Philippine history,” Lambino said.

Melandrew Velasco, a biographer of the Ramoses, described Shahani: “She was one extraordinary Filipina diplomat (then serving as UN Deputy Secretary General) who showed her courage and patriotism when she resigned and denounced her cousin President Ferdinand E. Marcos in December 1985 and openly declared her support for candidate Cory Aquino. “

The PUNCH columnist Virginia Pasalo wrote: “When one passes away, she leaves with us her thoughts, deeds and memories. She leaves traces of her caring, which is most important to a citizen who benefits from legislation she birthed, but most especially, for the especial caring and love that she accorded during the few times we were together fighting for women causes, territorial integrity, foreign relations and passion for culture and the arts.”

Shahani was a younger sister of former president Fidel Valdez Ramos. ( Tita Roces)

De Venecias’ statement

FORMER Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., former Rep. Gina de Venecia, their sons Rep. Christopher de Venecia and Jose de Venecia III, Azerbaijan honorary consul to the Philippines, in a joint press statement, condoled with the family of former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani who joined her Creator last March 20.

The joint press statement emailed to the media reads: “The late Sen. Leticia Ramos Shahani was an outstanding leader of women in the Philippines and Asia and served the global community as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

At home, she served as Senator from Pangasinan and Senate President Protempore following her earlier role as Deputy Foreign Minister and Ambassador to Romania and Australia.

She and her elder brother Gen. Fidel Ramos broke ranks from Martial Law of then President Ferdinand Marcos to ignite the People Power Revolution and launched Corazon Aquino to the Presidency and the restoration of Philippine democracy.

Fidel and Letty come from Pangasinan’s great political stock as their father, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Narciso Ramos was one of the Founders of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which she helped nurture as Foreign Undersecretary.” (Leonardo Micua)

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