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Helena Benitez
Member of the Batasang Pambansa from Cavite
In office July 23, 1984 – March 25, 1986Serving with Renato Dragon and Cesar Virata
Member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region IV-A
In office June 12, 1978 – June 5, 1984
Senator of the Philippines
In office December 30, 1967 – September 23, 1972
Personal details
Born	Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez (1914-06-27)June 27, 1914 Manila, Philippine Islands
Died	July 14, 2016(2016-07-14) (aged 102) Manila, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Independent (1986-2016)
Other political affiliations	KBL (1978–1986) Nacionalista (1967–1978)
Relations	Marielle Javellana (niece)
Parent(s)	Conrado Benitez (father) Francisca Tirona (mother)
Alma mater	Philippine Women's University George Washington University University of Chicago Iowa State College
Occupation	Educator Politician

Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez (June 27, 1914 – July 14, 2016) was a Filipina academic and administrator of the Philippine Women's University.

Early life and education

Benitez was born in Manila to Conrado Benitez, a pensionado to the United States and a member of the 1935 Constitutional Convention, and Francisca Tirona who was an educator and co-founder of Philippine Women's College in 1919. She graduated from Philippine Women's University and was a student at George Washington University (where she was Chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in 1969 and the first woman to serve as President of the UN Environment Program in 1975). She also took post graduate training from the University of Chicago and Iowa State University.

Politics

She served in the Senate of the Philippines from 1967 until Congress was closed when martial law was declared in 1972, and at the Batasang Pambansa from 1978 until it was abolished in 1986. Benitez wrote several bills involving the promotion of Filipino national culture, including Republic Act 5871, which established commissions devoted to preserving cultural artifacts. These commissions tried to revive indigenous arts and crafts through training, facilitation workshops, and funding institutions.

Cultural advocacy

Benitez also founded the Bayanihan Dance Company. Benitez was also the executive producer of the Bayanihan. Benitez was proud of the fact that the Bayanihan had highly authentic costumes and instruments from Filipino "tribal" peoples. She emphasized authenticity in the troupe's performance. She founded the troupe to be evidence of Philippine culture to the world. She negotiated a contract with Sol Hurok for the Bayanihan to perform on Broadway in New York City and got an exclusive endorsement from Philippine Presiden Carlos P. Garcia, designating the Bayanihan as the official representation of Filipino traditional dance to the Americas and Europe. This led to the Bayanihan's historic performance on October 13, 1959, at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway, which paved the way for the Bayanian becoming the most prominent Filipino dance troupe of that time.

Death

Benitez died on July 14, 2016, aged 102. She was the oldest surviving Senator of the Philippines.

See also

• List of centenarians (politicians and civil servants)

References

1. ^ Bueza, Michael (27 June 2014). "Fast Facts: Helena Zoila Benitez is 100 years old". Rappler.com. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
2. "HELENA BENITEZ". popdc.wordpress.com/. Philippines on the Potomac (POPDC). July 18, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
3. ^ Gonzalves, Theodore S. (2009). The Day the Dancers Stayed : Performing in the Filipino/American Diaspora. Temple University Press.
4. Senators Profile - Helena Benitez. Senate of the Philippines; accessed 2015-08-21.
5. Macairan, Evelyn (2016-06-29). "Helena Benitez at 100: Heart filled with gratitude". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
6. Tejero, Constantino C. (27 June 2013). "A living treasure is still up and about with her advocacies". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
7. Antiporda, Jefferson (July 14, 2016). "Helena Benitez dies at 102". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
8. "FAST FACTS: Trivia on the Philippine Senate". Rappler. October 16, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2024.

• Media related to Helena Benitez at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Cavite
1st district	Guerrero Nazareno P. Abaya J. Abaya F. Abaya Revilla III
2nd district	Dragon Maliksi G. Remulla Barzaga Jr. Mercado-Revilla S. Revilla Mercado-Revilla
3rd district	Nuñez Unas Beratio J. C. Remulla Maliksi A. Advincula A.J. Advincula
4th district	Barzaga Jr. Austria-Barzaga Barzaga Jr.
5th district	R. Loyola D. Loyola R. Loyola
6th district	A. Ferrer Ferrer IV A. Ferrer
7th district	J. C. Remulla A. Tolentino J. C. Remulla C. D. Remulla
8th district	A. Tolentino A. B. Tolentino
At-large (defunct)	1898-1899 de las Alas Basa Ilagan Salamanca 1907-1935 Palma Tirona Joya Tirona E. Virata Espiritu Reyes Soriano Ibañez Tirona Arca 1935-1941 Montano Rojas 1943-1944 Encarnación Tirona L. Ferrer 1945-1946 Montano 1946-1972 Montano Rojas Cajulis Montano 1984–1986 Benitez Dragon C. Virata

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• Senators of the 7th Congress of the Philippines
• Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Cavite
• Filipino women centenarians
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• Philippine Women's University alumni
• George Washington University alumni
• University of Chicago alumni
• Iowa State University alumni
• Women members of the Senate of the Philippines
• Women members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
• Senators of the 6th Congress of the Philippines
• Academic staff of Philippine Women's University
• Filipino politician stubs