Tecla San Andres-Ziga

Tecla San Andres-Ziga Tecla Revago San Andres-Ziga was born on August 23, 1906, at Nueva Caceres (now Naga City), Camarines Sur. A pioneering Filipina lawyer and senator, remembered as the first woman to top the Philippine Bar Examination and one of the earliest female senators. She practiced law at DeWitt Law Office for seven years and was elected as Senator of the Philippines, serving from 1963 to 1969. She advocated for women's rights, education, social welfare, and justice reforms August 23, 1906: Tecla San Andres Ziga was born in Nueva Caceres. (2025, March 16). The Kahimyang Project. https://kahimyang.com/articles/3115/today-in-filipino-history-august-23-1906-tecla-san-andres-ziga-was-born-in-nueva-caceres#google_vignette. Notable Quotes In her 1990 interview, she emphasized the role of women in governance saying that "women bring sobering influence and balance politics" Alejandro, J. M., De Leon, P. E., & Bautista, L. I. (n.d.). The lady is a senator par excellance: An interview with Mrs. Tecla San Andres Ziga, one of the first women senators of the Philippines and the first women lawyer in the Senate. Animo Repository. https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/oht_maf/343/. She highlighted education as empowerment, stressing that "women must pursue higher learning to break barriers" Tecla San Adres Ziga, Bicolanang uragon. (2020, November 2). www.biklish.com. https://biklish.com/2020/05/28/tecla-san-adres-ziga-bicolanang-uragon/. In her senate speeches she frequently underscored "justice and fairness" particularly in family law and social legislation https://philippinelawjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/50PLJ036_SAN-ANDRES-ZIGA.pdf. (n.d.).