A 1,000 Tree Tribute to the Empowered, Endearing & Enlightened Leticia Valdez Ramos Shahani

23 March 2017, Philippine Senate, Manila. Former senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani died on Monday, 20 March 2017 at the age of 87 at 2:40 a.m. at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bonifacio Global City, Makati. Members of the FEED team are deeply saddened but grateful she is not longer in pain (stage 4 colon cancer) and now at peace.

On March 23rd, members and staff of the Senate, family and friends paid tribute to Senator Shahani during the necrological service at the Philippine Senate in Pasay City. FEED Chairman Jacob Bakker, President Ofelia Bakker-Mananquil and Director, Partnerships Anne-Marie Mananquil Bakker attended to pay tribute to “Tita Lety” and her many agricultural, environmental, gender and humanitarian advocacies and legislations, professional career and farming ventures well into her retirement.

Necrological Service for the late former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani (March 23, 2017)

Source: http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/03/23/17/tribute-to-letty-ramos-shahani

Open Letter to Tita Lety, from FEED Inc. – 20 March 2017

“Dear Tita Lety,

In the long but too short time I have known you and will know you always, I love and admire you for your indefatigable, stubbornly persistent yet peaceful, sometimes unusual but always effective ways.

Health juicing with Jetro Vin Raphael @Van Gogh is Bipolar

Health juicing with Jetro Vin Raphael and friends @Van Gogh is Bipolar

Shahani Gatas Kalabaw Farm

With FEED Chairman Jacob Bakker

With FEED President Ophie Bakker-Mananquil

As I read the articles about you now, knowing all you have done, nothing does justice really. To me and the many around the world who know but a part of your story – from the Fisheries code, to our Carabao laws and overall love for country – you always were and will always be a LIVING LEGACY.

Senator Franklin M. Drilon (left) congratulates former Senate President Pro-Tempore Leticia Ramos Shahani (center) after the Senate passed on 10 June 2015, Resolution No. 1396 honoring her contributions as a legislator, diplomat, educator, women’s rights advocate and civil society leader. Also in photo are Senator Loren Legarda (right) Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (2nd from right) and the former senator’s daughter, Lila Ramos Shahani (2nd from left). File photo/Alex Nueva España, Senate PRIB, NPPA

As your tour guide in The Hague to being your farmer in Pangasinan, I will now be your gardener in any home you guide me to again – and I look forward to planting 1000 Philippine indigenous trees to help reforest our country in your name on March 25, 2017.

Thank you for all the beautiful moments – past, present and ahead – see you around for sure, at the bagsakan to begin with… 😉

All my love, Anne

1,000 Tree Tribute to Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani

On March 25,2017, Students & Volunteers for the Environment (SAVE) will be planting 1000 indigenous Philippine trees as a tribute to the LIVING LEGACY of former Senator, stateswoman, writer, farmer and more – a true #Philippine leader, Leticia Ramos-Shahani. Pictured here is Tita Lety at her Shahani Gatas Kalabaw Farm in Pangasinan.

About Leticia Valdez Ramos Shahani

Senator Shahani was born on September 30, 1929 in Lingayen, Pangasinan to late Foreign Affairs Secretary Narciso Ramos and Angela Valdez.

She graduated elementary and secondary level at the University of the Philippines. She finished her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and her Master in Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Comparative Literature after defending her doctoral thesis with highest honors.

Shahani was a former Dean of the Graduate School of Lyceum of the Philippines. She taught English Literature, French, Spanish, Comparative Literature, Humanities, Social Psychology and others. She was former member of the faculty of the University of the Philippines from 1954 to 1957, Queens borough Community College, New York in 1961, Brooklyn College, New York in 1962 and New School for Social Research, New York from 1962 to 1967.

After passing the Philippine Service Office Examination, she held various high positions such as: she was appointed Ambassador to Australia from 1981 to 1986; Secretary-General of the World Conference on the UN Decade of Women in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985. Shahani left her UN post and returned to the Philippines to become the Deputy Minister for Philippine Affairs after 1986 EDSA Revolution.

She ran for the 1987 Congressional elections and won as Senator. While in the Senate she was the Chairman of various committees like committee on Foreign Affairs, committee on Education, Culture and Arts, committee on Agriculture and member of the Commission on Appointments.

Senator Shahani married Ranjee Shahani, former Indian writer and professor with whom she has three children.

Source: https://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/former_senators/leticia_shahani.htm

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