Alan Peter Cayetano facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Schramm and the surname or paternal family name is Cayetano.

Quick facts for kids Alan Peter Cayetano
Official portrait, 2019

Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2022
In office June 30, 2007 – May 17, 2017
Chair of the Senate Agrarian Reform Committee
In office July 25, 2016 – May 17, 2017
Preceded by	Gregorio Honasan
Succeeded by	Cynthia Villar
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office July 25, 2016 – May 17, 2017
Preceded by	Miriam Defensor Santiago
Succeeded by	Loren Legarda
Senate Majority Leader
In office July 23, 2013 – July 25, 2016
Preceded by	Gregorio Honasan (acting)
Succeeded by	Vicente Sotto III
Senate Minority Leader
In office July 26, 2010 – July 22, 2013
Preceded by	Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
Succeeded by	Juan Ponce Enrile
Chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee
In office July 23, 2007 – February 2, 2009
Preceded by	Joker Arroyo
Succeeded by	Richard J. Gordon
Member of the House of Representatives for Taguig–Pateros
In office June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Preceded by	Arnel Cerafica
Succeeded by	Ricardo Cruz Jr.
Constituency	1st district
In office June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007
Preceded by	Dante Tiñga
Succeeded by	Post dissolved
Constituency	At-large district
22nd Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
In office July 22, 2019 – October 12, 2020
Deputy	See list Paolo Duterte Ferdinand Hernandez Loren Legarda Evelina Escudero Conrado Estrella III Prospero Pichay Jr. Roberto Puno Eddie Villanueva Aurelio Gonzales Jr. Johnny Pimentel Luis Raymund Villafuerte Raneo Abu Neptali Gonzales II Dan Fernandez Rose Marie Arenas Rodante Marcoleta Henry Oaminal Pablo John Garcia Vilma Santos-Recto Deogracias Victor Savellano Mujiv Hataman Mikee Romero Fredenil Castro
Preceded by	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Succeeded by	Lord Allan Velasco
26th Secretary of Foreign Affairs
In office May 18, 2017 – October 17, 2018
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	Enrique Manalo (acting)
Succeeded by	Teodoro Locsin Jr.
Vice Mayor of Taguig
In office June 30, 1995 – June 30, 1998
Mayor	Isidro Garcia
Preceded by	Daniel Castillo
Succeeded by	Loida Labao-Alzona
Member of the Sangguniang Bayan of Taguig from the 2nd district
In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1995
Chairman of the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee
In office November 30, 2019 – December 11, 2019

Personal details
Born	Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano (1970-10-28) October 28, 1970 (age 54) Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
Citizenship	Philippines United States (until 1998)
Political party	Independent (2021–present)
Other political affiliations	Nacionalista (2005–2021) Lakas–NUCD (2001–2005) LAMMP (1998–2001)
Spouse	Lani Lopez (m. 2004)
Parents	Rene Cayetano (father) Sandra Schramm (mother)
Relatives	Pia Cayetano (sister) Rene Carl Cayetano (brother) Lino Cayetano (brother)
Residences	Bagumbayan, Taguig, Metro Manila
Education	De La Salle Zobel
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Diliman (BA) Ateneo de Manila University (JD)
Occupation	Politician, diplomat
Profession	Lawyer
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Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano (born October 28, 1970) is a Filipino lawyer and politician. He has served as a Senator since 2022, and also from 2007 to 2017. He was the Senate Minority Leader and later the Senate Majority Leader.

He also served as a Representative for Taguig–Pateros from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2019 to 2022. During his second term as Representative, he became the Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2020. Before that, he was the Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 2017 to 2018 under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano comes from a family of politicians in Taguig. His father, Rene Cayetano, was a senator. His older sister, Pia Cayetano, is also a senator. His younger brother, Lino Cayetano, was a mayor of Taguig. His wife, Lani Cayetano, is the current mayor of Taguig. In 2023, he became one of the hosts for the public service TV show Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda.

Alan Peter Cayetano's Early Life and Education

Growing Up and Family

Alan Peter Cayetano was born in Mandaluyong on October 28, 1970. His father was a lawyer and former senator, Rene Cayetano. His mother, Sandra Schramm, was a German-American teacher. He grew up in Parañaque and later moved to Taguig in 1991.

His family is very involved in politics. His sister, Pia, is a senator. His brother, Lino, was a congressman and mayor. His wife, Lani, is the current mayor of Taguig.

School Days and First Steps in Politics

Cayetano went to De La Salle Santiago Zobel School for elementary and high school. He then studied political science at the University of the Philippines Diliman, graduating in 1993.

His time in college was important for his political journey. In 1989, just a year after starting at UP Diliman, he ran for a position in the UP Diliman University Student Council and won. This was his first experience in politics.

He later earned his law degree from Ateneo de Manila University in 1997. He passed the Philippine bar exam in 1998, becoming a lawyer.

Alan Peter Cayetano's Political Journey

Starting in Local Government

Cayetano began his political career in 1992 as a councilor in Taguig. He was only 21 years old, making him one of the youngest councilors in the country. He became the Majority Floor Leader in Taguig.

From 1992 to 1993, he also led the National Capital Region Chapter of the National Movement of Young Legislators. In 1995, he was elected Vice Mayor of Taguig and served one term until 1998.

Serving in the House of Representatives (1998–2007)

In 1998, Cayetano was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines. He represented the district of Taguig–Pateros. At 27, he was the youngest representative in the 11th Congress.

During his time in the House, he took on important roles. He was an assistant majority leader and chaired committees on education and electoral reforms. He served three terms as a representative.

Becoming a Senator (2007–2017)

Senate Majority Floor Leader Alan Peter Cayetano at the Kapihan sa Senado forum on March 17, 2016

Cayetano ran for senator in 2007 and won, placing 9th. In 2010, he was chosen as the Senate Minority Leader. He was re-elected as senator in 2013.

In 2013, he became the Senate Majority Floor Leader. He also chaired the Senate Committee on Rules.

Role as Foreign Affairs Secretary (2017–2018)

In May 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Cayetano as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. He took over this role after a one-year ban on losing candidates from the 2016 elections expired.

As Foreign Affairs Secretary, Cayetano focused on using facts and international laws to discuss the Philippines' claims over certain territories. He aimed to solve issues through private talks rather than public statements.

Cayetano with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his visit to Washington D.C., September 27, 2017

He resigned from this position in October 2018 to run for representative of Taguig–Pateros again.

Speaker of the House (2019–2020)

Cayetano taking his oath of office as Speaker on July 21, 2019

On July 22, 2019, Cayetano was elected the 22nd Speaker of the House of Representatives. He received strong support from his fellow representatives.

He had an agreement to share his term with another representative, Lord Allan Velasco. Cayetano served as Speaker for 15 months.

Organizing the SEA Games

Cayetano also chaired the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC). This group was in charge of organizing the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held in the Philippines.

Alan Peter Cayetano with the SEAG medalists.

After the games, some of the facilities were used as quarantine centers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resignation as Speaker

Cayetano resigned as House Speaker on October 13, 2020. This allowed Lord Allan Velasco to take over the position as planned.

Return to the Senate (2022–Present)

On October 7, 2021, Cayetano announced his candidacy for senator as an independent candidate. He focused on his proposal for a "10K Ayuda Bill," which aimed to provide cash aid to Filipino families during the pandemic.

He won in the 2022 elections, securing his third term as senator. He was the only winning senator not part of a major political group. In the 19th Congress, he works with his sister Pia as part of the Senate independent bloc.

Since February 2023, Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister Pia host the public service program Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda on GMA Network.

Alan Peter Cayetano's Key Ideas

Fighting Corruption

Cayetano strongly supports efforts to fight corruption in the government. He has been involved in investigations against alleged corruption.

Helping the Economy Grow

He believes that spreading economic growth outside of Manila is important. He thinks that government offices should be located in different parts of the country to help achieve this.

Addressing Climate Change

Cayetano believes that dealing with disasters and climate change needs many government departments to work together. He has proposed creating a new department focused on disaster management.

Supporting Overseas Filipino Workers

He thinks that by spreading economic opportunities, more Filipinos working abroad might be able to find jobs in the Philippines. This would allow them to return home.

Legislative Achievements

Cayetano has authored or co-authored several laws, mostly focusing on education, rights for persons with disabilities, health, and the environment. Here are some of the laws he helped create during his first two terms as Senator (2007–2017):

Iskolar ng Bayan Act of 2014 (Republic Act No. 10648): This law provides scholarship grants to top public high school graduates for state universities and colleges.
University of the Philippines Charter Act of 2008 (Republic Act No. 9500).
Student-Athletes Protection Act (Republic Act No. 10676): This law prevents the unfair use of student-athletes for commercial purposes.
Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (Republic Act No. 7277): This law helps disabled persons with rehabilitation and self-reliance, helping them join society.
Amendment of the Philippine Passport Act (Republic Act No. 10928): This law extended the validity of Philippine passports to ten years.

Helping Filipinos During the Pandemic

10K Ayuda Bill and Program

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cayetano and his allies proposed the "10K Ayuda Bill." This bill aimed to give each Filipino family a one-time cash aid of ₱10,000 or ₱1,500 per family member, whichever was higher. This money was meant to help families with daily needs or to start small businesses.

To show that this was possible, Cayetano launched the "Sampung Libong Pag-asa" (SLP) program. Through donations, the SLP initiative provided cash aid to thousands of Filipinos across the country. By September 2021, the program had helped 10,000 beneficiaries.

Sari-Saring Pag-Asa Program

Cayetano also started the "Sari-Saring Pag-asa" (SSP) program. This program gives a one-time cash assistance of ₱3,500 to struggling sari-sari store owners. The goal is to help them restock their stores during the pandemic.

This program builds on a local initiative from Taguig and Pateros. As of October 2021, the SSP program had helped over 4,800 sari-sari store owners.