This is a list of women members of House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is a guide to identify the women in the Philippines who have served as members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, and its related versions.
The list is chronologically grouped according to the convocation of the Philippine Congress in which members were elected. Included in this list are members of the Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971, the Batasang Bayan, which functioned as the de facto legislature from 1976 to 1978, the Interim and Regular Batasang Pambansa, which functioned as the unicameral legislature during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos from 1978 until its abolition in 1986, and the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986.
An asterisk (*) denotes they were elected to the legislature for the first time.
Records The first woman to be elected as a member of the Philippine Congress was Elisa Ochoa, who was elected in the 1941 Philippine general election for the 1st Congress of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. However, she was only able to take office in 1945, following the end of World War II, as its inauguration was interrupted by the Japanese Occupation. During that period, Ochoa was also the only female legislator in the National Assembly of the Japanese-installed Second Philippine Republic from 1943 to 1945.
Remedios Ozamis Fortich was the first woman to become a member of the post-independence House of Representatives, in 1946.
Tecla San Andres Ziga, who was elected in a special election in 1955, was the first congresswoman to win reelection, in 1957.
Geraldine Roman is the first and only trans woman to be elected to the House, in 2016.
Daisy Avance Fuentes was the first woman to become Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, from 1998 to 2001. Bella Angara was the first woman to become House Majority Leader, from 2000 to 2001. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was the first woman to become Speaker of the House, from 2018 to 2019. She also become one of only two people to hold at least three of the four highest offices in the Philippines: vice president, president, and house speaker, alongside former President Sergio Osmeña.
Per legislative term
2nd National Assembly (1938–1941) None
1st Commonwealth Congress (1941; 1945–1946) Member Party Elisa Ochoa* Agusan
National Assembly (Second Philippine Republic, 1943–1945) Member Party Elisa Ochoa Agusan
2nd Commonwealth Congress (1946)/1st Congress of the Republic of the Philippines (1946–1949) Member Party Remedios Ozamis Fortich* Bukidnon
2nd Congress (1949–1953) Member Party Medina Lacson de Leon* Bataan
3rd Congress (1954–1957) Member Party Tecla San Andres Ziga* Albay Carmen Dinlasang Consing* Capiz
4th Congress (1958–1961) Member Party Tecla San Andres Ziga Albay
5th Congress (1962–1965) Member Party Josefina Duran* Albay Gloria Tabiana* Iloilo Juanita Nepomuceno* Pampanga
6th Congress (1966–1969) Member Party Josefina Duran Albay Aurora Abad* Batanes Gloria Tabiana Iloilo Magnolia Antonino* La Union Salud Vivero Parreño* Leyte Juanita Nepomuceno Pampanga
7th Congress (1970–1972) Member Party Gloria Tabiana Iloilo Salud Vivero Parreño Leyte Corazon Primicias* Pangasinan
Constitutional Convention (1971–1972) Member Teresita Flores Albay Lilia de Lima Camarines Sur Lydia Rodriguez Cebu Linda Ampatuan Maguindanao Sonia Aldeguer Iloilo Carmencita Reyes Marinduque Elizabeth Johnston Misamis Occidental Mary Rose Ezpeleta Rizal Fanny Garcia Surigao del Norte Mercedes Teodoro Tarlac Maria Clara Lobregat Zamboanga del Sur
Batasang Bayan (1976–1978) Note: The members of the Batasang Bayan were not elected. Instead, President Ferdinand Marcos appointed members of the Cabinet and local executives to the body, which functioned as an advisory council.
Member Constituency Estefania Aldaba-Lim Cabinet Cecil Carag Region II Socorro de Castro Region V Lilia de Lima Region V Susan dela Rosa Region XI Marivic Guevarra Youth Elizabeth Marcos-Keon Region I Consuelo Madrigal Region IV Imelda Marcos Region IV Sofia Reyes Region I Catherine Singson Region I
Interim Batasang Pambansa (1978–1984)
Regional Representatives Member Party Mercedes Teodoro* Region III Imelda Marcos* Region IV Helena Benitez* Region IV-A Soledad Dolor* Region IV-A Carmencita Reyes* Region IV-A Socorro Reyes* Region V Dolores Sison* Region V Felicidad Santos* Region XI
Cabinet Representative Member Party Sylvia Montes* Minister of Social Services and Development
Sectoral Representatives Member Region Judy Carunungan* Youth At-large Princess Porti Pacasum* Industrial Labor Mindanao
Regular Batasang Pambansa (1984–1986) Member Party Helena Benitez Cavite Nenita Cortes-Daluz* Cebu Merced Edith Rabat* Davao Oriental Imee Marcos* Ilocos Norte Eva Estrada-Kalaw* Manila Carmencita Reyes Marinduque Amelia Gordon* Olongapo Juanita Nepomuceno Pampanga Cecilia Muñoz-Palma* Quezon City Mercedes Teodoro Tarlac
Sectoral Representatives Member Region Maria Victoria Calderon* Youth At-large
Constitutional Commission (1986) Note: The members of the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 were not elected. Instead, President Corazon Aquino invited the public in April 1986 to submit nominations to the body who were then endorsed by various political groups and sectors. The final list of members was released on 25 May 1986.
MemberLeadership Positions Cecilia Muñoz-PalmaPresident Felicitas Aquino Florangel Rosario-Braid Chair of the Committee on General Provisions Maria Teresa Nieva Chair of the Committee on Social Justice and Social Services Minda Luz Quesada Vice Chair of the Committee on Privileges Sister Mary Christine Tan
8th Congress (1987–1992)
District Representatives Member Party Charito Plaza* Agusan del Norte Socorro Acosta* Bukidnon Violeta Labaria* Bukidnon Benedicta Roa* Cagayan de Oro Thelma Almario* Davao Oriental Maria Consuelo Puyat-Reyes* Makati Tessie Aquino-Oreta* Malabon-Navotas Carmencita Reyes Marinduque Luz Cleta Bakunawa* Masbate Hortensia Starke* Negros Occidental Lorna Verano-Yap* Pasay Nikki Coseteng* Quezon City Rosette Lerias* Southern Leyte Glenda Ecleo* Surigao del Norte Katherine Gordon* Zambales Pacita Gonzales* Zambales Maria Clara Lobregat* Zamboanga City
Sectoral Representatives Member Estrella Juco* Disabled Adelize Raymundo* Labor
9th Congress (1992–1995)
District Representatives Member Party Charito Plaza Agusan del Norte Elnorita Tugung* Basilan Milagros Trinidad-Laurel* Batangas Venice Borja-Agana* Bohol Socorro Acosta Bukidnon Aurora Henson* Caloocan Maria Elena Palma-Gil* Davao Oriental Thelma Almario Davao Oriental Tessie Aquino-Oreta Malabon-Navotas Rosenda Ann Ocampo* Manila Carmencita Reyes Marinduque Luz Cleta Bakunawa Masbate Hortensia Starke Negros Occidental Andrea D. Domingo* Pampanga Luwalhati Antonino* South Cotabato Daisy Avance Fuentes* South Cotabato Glenda Ecleo Surigao del Norte Katherine Gordon Zambales Maria Clara Lobregat Zamboanga City Belma Cabilao* Zamboanga del Sur
Sectoral Representatives Member Minerva Laudico* Women Leonor Luciano* Women
10th Congress (1995–1998)
District Representatives Member Party Charito Plaza Agusan del Norte Bella Angara* Aurora Milagros Trinidad-Laurel Batangas Venice Borja-Agana Bohol Socorro Acosta Bukidnon Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz* Cebu Maria Elena Palma-Gil Davao Oriental Thelma Almario Davao Oriental Imelda Marcos Leyte Tessie Aquino-Oreta Malabon-Navotas Rosenda Ann Ocampo Manila Carmencita Reyes Marinduque Vida Espinosa* Masbate Luz Cleta Bakunawa Masbate Herminia Ramiro* Misamis Occidental Julita Lorenzo-Villareal* Nueva Ecija Zenaida Cruz-Ducut* Pampanga Luwalhati Antonino South Cotabato Daisy Avance Fuentes South Cotabato Maria Clara Lobregat Zamboanga City Belma Cabilao Zamboanga del Sur
Sectoral Representatives Member Minerva Laudico Women Leonor Luciano Women Anna Periquet* Youth Evelyn Dunuan Youth
11th Congress (1998–2001)
District Representatives Member Party Krisel Lagman-Luistro* Albay Norma Imperial* Albay Bella Angara Aurora Nancy Cuenco* Cebu City Maria Elena Palma-Gil Davao Oriental Imee Marcos Ilocos Norte Grace Singson* Ilocos Sur Ninfa Garin* Iloilo Uliran Joaquin* Laguna Maria Victoria Locsin* Leyte Maria Catalina Loreto-Go* Leyte Rosenda Ann Ocampo Manila Vida Espinosa Masbate Josephine Dominguez* Mountain Province Edith Yotoko-Villanueva* Negros Occidental Josefina Joson* Nueva Ecija Julita Lorenzo-Villareal Nueva Ecija Maria Amelita Villarosa* Occidental Mindoro Zenaida Cruz-Ducut Pampanga Maria Angela Cua* Quirino Luwalhati Antonino South Cotabato Daisy Avance Fuentes South Cotabato Aurora Cerilles* Zamboanga del Sur
Party-list Representatives Member Pat Sarenas* Abanse! Pinay Etta Rosales* Akbayan
12th Congress (2001–2004)
District Representatives Member Party Gabrielle Calizo* Aklan Krisel Lagman-Luistro Albay Bella Angara Aurora Eileen Ermita-Buhain* Batangas Victoria Hernandez-Reyes* Batangas Lorna Silverio* Bulacan Reylina Nicolas* Bulacan Celia Taganas-Layus* Cagayan Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz Cebu Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza* Cotabato Corazon Nuñez Malanyaon* Davao Oriental Imee Marcos Ilocos Norte Uliran Joaquin Laguna Faysah Dumarpa* Lanao del Sur Cynthia Villar* Las Piñas Trinidad Apostol* Leyte Carmen Cari* Leyte Maria Victoria Locsin* Leyte Vida Espinosa Masbate Herminia Ramiro Misamis Occidental Josefina Joson Nueva Ecija Josephine Sato* Occidental Mindoro Charity Leviste* Oriental Mindoro Zenaida Cruz-Ducut Pampanga Connie Dy* Pasay Lynnette Punzalan* Quezon Aleta Suarez* Quezon Georgilu Yumul-Hermida* Quezon Maria Theresa Defensor* Quezon City Nanette Castelo-Daza* Quezon City Darlene Antonino-Custodio* South Cotabato Glenda Ecleo Surigao del Norte Soraya Jaafar* Tawi-Tawi Cecilia Jalosjos-Carreon* Zamboanga del Norte Filomena San Juan* Zamboanga del Sur Belma Cabilao Zamboanga Sibugay
Party-list Representatives Member Etta Rosales Akbayan Sunny Rose Madamba* APEC Liza Maza* Gabriela
13th Congress (2004–2007)
District Representatives Member Party Angelica Amante* Agusan del Norte Henedina Abad* Batanes Eileen Ermita-Buhain Batangas Victoria Hernandez-Reyes Batangas Lorna Silverio Bulacan Reylina Nicolas Bulacan Nerissa Corazon Soon-Ruiz Cebu Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza Cotabato Corazon Nuñez Malanyaon Davao Oriental Imee Marcos Ilocos Norte Janette Garin* Iloilo Judy Syjuco* Iloilo Uliran Joaquin Laguna Faysah Dumarpa Lanao del Sur Cynthia Villar Las Piñas Remedios Petilla* Leyte Trinidad Apostol Leyte Carmen Cari Leyte Bai Sendig Dilangalen* Maguindanao Rizalina Seachon-Lanete* Masbate Herminia Ramiro Misamis Occidental Josefina Joson Nueva Ecija Maria Amelita Villarosa Occidental Mindoro Anna York Bondoc* Pampanga Mary Ann Susano* Quezon City Nanette Castelo-Daza Quezon City Darlene Antonino-Custodio South Cotabato Glenda Ecleo Surigao del Norte Mitos Magsaysay* Zambales Cecilia Jalosjos-Carreon Zamboanga del Norte Belma Cabilao Zamboanga Sibugay
Party-list Representatives Member Risa Hontiveros* Akbayan Etta Rosales Akbayan Sunny Rose Madamba APEC Liza Maza Gabriela Leonila Chavez* Butil Estrella Santos* Veterans
14th Congress (2007–2010)
District Representatives