Benitez served in the Philippine Senate from 1968 to 1972. As senator she authored and co-authored significant legislation on education, manpower and youth development, family, housing and environment. In the Martial Law era, she represented Region IV (Southern Tagalog Region) at the Interim Batasang Pambansa from 1978 to 1984, and the province of Cavite at the Regular Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986.

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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources/helena-zoila-benitez-awarded-sm.webp" alt="Helena Zoila Benitez" />
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(Senator Helena Zoila Benitez, front center, is honored at the Philippine Senate in 2012)
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Among the laws she helped pass includes Republic Act 5752 or The Municipal Forests and Watersheds Act, RA 6147- The Philippine Eagle Protection Act; Republic Act 6148 – The Tamaraw Sanctuaries Act;. Republic Act 6239 – The Forestry Profession Law; and Republic Act 6541 – The National Building Code.


She is also responsible for the first comprehensive report on the State of the Philippine Environment in 1971; and Congressional Joint Resolution No.3 establishing basic policies which guided the country in its efforts to bring about social and economic development through environmental planning.


Benitez was the first Filipina to have chaired the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the first Filipina member of the Board of the International Association of Universities, and the first to be conferred the Presidential Award of the Order of Sikatuna, with a Rank of Datu.


She held several university degrees including Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Education, Magna Cum Laude, Philippine Women’s University; and Master of Arts, George Washington University, USA (1939); Post Graduate Studies, University of Chicago and Iowa State College, USA.


On June 4, 2012, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 786, sponsored by Senator Loren Legarda, honoring her for her service to the Filipino people as Senator, pioneer environmentalist, educator, advocate of culture and civil society leader. Benitez is also a recipient of numerous citations and awards from many government and non-government entities for her contribution in education, women, environment and habitat, civic and church work and international affairs. 


Her mother, Francisca Tirona-Benitez, co-founded the Philippine Women's College in 1919, which became the Philippine Women's University (PWU) in 1932. Helena served as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PWU. 


Her father, Conrado Benitez, was among the pensionados – recipients of college scholarship grants to the United States – during the American occupation. Her father was also a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention, and the first dean of the University of the Philippines College of Business Administration.



Helena Zoila Benitez died on July 14, 2016. She was 102.


Sources: 

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Fast Facts: Helena Zoila Benitez is 100 years old, Michael Bueza, June 27, 2015, Rappler.com (http://goo.gl/0ksoMZ)
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Helena Benitez dies at 102, July 14, 2016, Manila Times (http://goo.gl/1xvkcy)
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Photo credit: http://www.rappler.com/
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June 27, 1914: Helena Benitez was born in Manila