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Kiko Pangilinan
Senkikopangilinan.jpg
Official portrait, 2019
Senator of the Philippines
Assumed office
June 30, 2025
In office
June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022
In office
June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2013
Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization
In office
May 6, 2014 – September 15, 2015
President Benigno Aquino III
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by Fredelita Guiza
Member of the Quezon City Council from the 4th district
In office
June 30, 1988 – June 30, 1992
Personal details
Born
Francis Pancratius Nepomuceno Pangilinan

(1963-08-24) August 24, 1963 (age 61)
Manila, Philippines
Political party Liberal (2001–present)
Other political
affiliations
LDP (1988–1992)
Independent (1992–2001)
Spouse
Sharon Cuneta
(m. 1996)
Relations KC Concepcion (step-daughter)
Pablo Cuneta (father-in-law)
Helen Gamboa (aunt-in-law)
Maricel Laxa (sister-in-law)
Gary Valenciano (brother-in-law)
Donny Pangilinan (nephew)
Gab Valenciano (nephew)
Kiana Valenciano (niece)
Chito Miranda (nephew)
Children 3, incl. Kakie
Residence Ayala Westgrove Heights
Alma mater University of the Philippines Diliman (BA, LL.B)
Harvard University (MPA)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • entrepreneur
Profession Lawyer
Signature

Francis Pancratius Nepomuceno Pangilinan (born August 24, 1963), better known as Kiko Pangilinan, is a Filipino lawyer and politician. He is a senator of the Philippines, a role he has held for several terms. As a senator, he helps create laws for the country.

Pangilinan is famous for his work in supporting agriculture and making sure there is enough food for everyone, a concept called food security. He has written important laws to help farmers, such as the Organic Agriculture Act and the Sagip Saka Act. Before becoming a national leader, he was a television host and a city councilor.

He studied law at the University of the Philippines and later earned a master's degree from Harvard University in the United States. In 2022, he ran for vice president but was not elected. He won a seat in the Senate again in the 2025 elections.

Pangilinan is married to the famous actress and singer Sharon Cuneta. Together, they run an organic farm.

Early Life and Schooling

Kiko Pangilinan was born on August 24, 1963, in Manila. His father, Donato, was an engineer and businessman, and his mother, Emma, was a public school teacher. He is one of nine children.

He went to La Salle Green Hills for elementary and high school. During school breaks, his father made sure he and his siblings worked at their family's furniture factory. This taught him the value of hard work from a young age.

For college, he attended the University of the Philippines Diliman. He earned a degree in English and was also a varsity volleyball player for the UP Men's Volleyball Team.

While studying law at UP, he became a student leader. He was elected chairman of the UP University Student Council in 1986. He was also active in student groups that called for positive changes in the government. In 1997, he went to the United States to study at Harvard Kennedy School, where he earned a Master's degree in Public Administration.

Start of His Political Career

In 1988, at just 24 years old, Pangilinan was elected to the Quezon City Council. He was the youngest person ever elected to that position. He served one term, from 1988 to 1992. During this time, he helped create the National Movement of Young Legislators, a group for young lawmakers in the country.

After his term as councilor, he worked as a television and radio host for ABS-CBN. He was known for co-hosting the show Hoy Gising!, where he used his legal knowledge to help ordinary people with their problems.

First Terms in the Senate (2001–2013)

Senator Francis Pangilinan in 2012
Pangilinan speaking in the Senate in 2012.

In 2001, Pangilinan was elected to the Senate. He was re-elected in 2007. During his first 12 years as a senator, he became known for several important laws.

From 2004 to 2008, he served as the Senate Majority Leader. This is a very important job where he helped manage the schedule and discussions in the Senate.

Major Laws He Created

One of his most well-known laws is the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006. This law created a special system for children who get into trouble with the law. Instead of sending them to adult prisons, it focuses on helping them change for the better. This law is often called the "Pangilinan Law."

He also wrote the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010. This law was designed to support farmers who grow food without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which is known as organic farming.

Working in the Cabinet

After his Senate terms ended in 2013, Pangilinan took a break from being a lawmaker. In 2014, President Benigno Aquino III asked him to join his team. He was appointed as the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization.

In this role, he was in charge of important government agencies that deal with food and farming. These included the National Food Authority (NFA), which manages the country's rice supply, and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), which builds and maintains water systems for farms. He resigned in 2015 to run for the Senate again.

Return to the Senate (2016–2022)

Manny Pacquiao with Kiko Pangilinan
Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Manny Pacquiao in 2016.

Pangilinan won a third term in the Senate in the 2016 elections. During this time, he became the president of the Liberal Party and was a key figure in the opposition.

He continued his work to help farmers by writing the Sagip Saka Act in 2019. Sagip Saka means "Save the Farm." This law makes it easier for the government to buy food directly from farmers and fishermen. This helps them earn more money by removing the need for middlemen.

Pangilinan also helped create other important laws, including:

  • Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act: This law made tuition free in state universities and colleges.
  • Free Internet Access in Public Places Act: This law set up free Wi-Fi hotspots in public areas like parks, schools, and libraries.
  • Expanded Maternity Leave Act: This law gave working mothers more paid time off after giving birth.

2022 Vice Presidential Campaign

Leni-Kiko Leniwanag sa Silangan rally Francis Pangilinan (Ynares Center, Antipolo, Rizal; 04-05-2022)
Pangilinan campaigning for vice president in Antipolo in 2022.

In 2021, Pangilinan announced he would run for vice president in the 2022 election. He was the running mate of presidential candidate Leni Robredo.

His campaign focused on his main advocacy: agriculture and food. His slogan was "Goodbye Gutom, Hello Pagkain" (Goodbye Hunger, Hello Food). He promised to help farmers and fishermen to make food more affordable for everyone. He finished in second place, losing to Sara Duterte.

Fourth Senate Term (from 2025)

Pangilinan ran for senator again in the 2025 elections and won. He ran alongside former senator Bam Aquino, and their team-up was called "KiBam."

His campaign once again focused on food security. He promised to work on lowering the price of rice and to make sure the Sagip Saka Act he wrote is fully used to help farmers. He officially began his fourth term on June 30, 2025.

Life Outside of Politics

Media Work

Before he became a senator, Pangilinan was a familiar face on television. From 1993 to 1997, he co-hosted the public service show Hoy Gising!. On the show, he helped people by giving legal advice and connecting them with government agencies. It was on this show that he met his future wife, Sharon Cuneta.

In 2024, he returned to hosting with a show called Hello Pagkain! which focused on farming and food issues.

Farming and Business

Senator Francis Pangilinan farming
Pangilinan planting rice in 2013.

Pangilinan has always been interested in business. When he was a student, he started a small business selling fishballs from a cart.

In 2012, he and his wife started Sweet Spring Country Farm in Alfonso, Cavite. It is a family farm where they grow organic vegetables and raise free-range chickens. They use natural farming methods without any chemicals. The farm sells its fresh produce to markets and restaurants. Pangilinan often shares that farming is his passion and a way to promote healthy living.

Personal Life

Kiko Pangilinan married singer and actress Sharon Cuneta on April 28, 1996. They have two daughters, including the singer-songwriter Kakie, and one adopted son. Pangilinan also legally adopted Cuneta's daughter from a previous marriage, actress KC Concepcion.

The family lives in Silang, Cavite, near their farm. Pangilinan is also related to other famous people. He is the uncle of actor Donny Pangilinan and a cousin of Chito Miranda, the lead singer of the band Parokya ni Edgar.

Electoral history

2001 Senate election

2007 Senate election

Candidate Party Votes %
Genuine Opposition Nationalist People's Coalition 18,501,734 6.87
Genuine Opposition Nationalist People's Coalition 18,265,307 6.79
Genuine Opposition United Opposition 15,509,188 5.76
Genuine Opposition Nacionalista Party 15,338,412 5.70
Liberal Party 14,534,678 5.40
Genuine Opposition Liberal Party 14,309,349 5.32
TEAM Unity Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino 12,657,769 4.70
TEAM Unity Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino 11,803,107 4.39
Genuine Opposition Nacionalista Party 11,787,679 4.38
Independent 11,605,531 4.31
Genuine Opposition United Opposition 11,189,671 4.16
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 11,005,866 4.09
Genuine Opposition PDP–Laban 10,987,347 4.08
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 10,721,252 3.98
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 9,938,995 3.69
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 9,798,622 3.64
Genuine Opposition Aksyon Demokratiko 8,457,748 3.14
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 7,800,451 2.90
TEAM Unity Nationalist People's Coalition 7,638,361 2.84
Genuine Opposition United Opposition 7,267,048 2.70
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 6,357,905 2.36
Genuine Opposition Independent 5,274,682 1.96
TEAM Unity Nationalist People's Coalition 4,362,065 1.62
TEAM Unity Lakas–CMD 4,353,644 1.62
Independent 2,725,664 1.01
TEAM Unity Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas 2,488,994 0.92
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 843,702 0.31
Ang Kapatiran 761,165 0.28
Ang Kapatiran 713,817 0.27
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 510,366 0.19
Ang Kapatiran 402,331 0.15
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 305,647 0.11
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 285,488 0.11
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 283,036 0.11
Philippine Green Republican Party 123,608 0.05
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 107,532 0.04
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 100,523 0.04
Total 269,118,284 100.00
Total votes 29,498,660
Registered voters/turnout 43,104,362 68.44
Source: COMELEC

2016 Senate election

Candidate Party Votes %
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 18,607,391 5.79
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 18,459,222 5.75
Partido Galing at Puso Nationalist People's Coalition 17,200,371 5.35
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Independent 16,926,152 5.27
Partido Galing at Puso Independent 16,719,322 5.20
Partido Galing at Puso Independent 16,119,165 5.02
United Nationalist Alliance 16,050,546 5.00
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 15,955,949 4.97
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Akbayan 15,915,213 4.95
Partido Galing at Puso Nationalist People's Coalition 14,953,768 4.65
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 14,271,868 4.44
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 14,144,070 4.40
People's Reform Party Independent 12,811,098 3.99
Independent 12,670,615 3.94
People's Reform Party Lakas–CMD 12,325,824 3.84
Partido Galing at Puso Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino 11,126,944 3.46
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 10,331,157 3.22
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 7,046,580 2.19
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Aksyon Demokratiko 6,594,190 2.05
Partido Galing at Puso Makabayan 6,484,985 2.02
Partido Galing at Puso Independent 5,269,539 1.64
Partido Galing at Puso Independent 4,824,484 1.50
Partido Galing at Puso Nacionalista Party 2,775,191 0.86
United Nationalist Alliance 2,432,224 0.76
Independent 2,100,985 0.65
Independent 2,032,362 0.63
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 1,971,327 0.61
United Nationalist Alliance 1,857,630 0.58
Partido Galing at Puso Aksyon Demokratiko 1,838,978 0.57
People's Reform Party Independent 1,828,305 0.57
Partido Galing at Puso Independent 1,755,949 0.55
Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka 1,736,822 0.54
United Nationalist Alliance 1,719,576 0.54
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Liberal Party 1,696,558 0.53
United Nationalist Alliance 1,605,073 0.50
Independent 1,091,194 0.34
United Nationalist Alliance 995,673 0.31
Independent 905,610 0.28
Independent 855,297 0.27
Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid Independent 808,623 0.25
Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino 805,756 0.25
Independent 782,249 0.24
Independent 759,263 0.24
Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka 733,838 0.23
Lakas–CMD 731,021 0.23
Independent 680,550 0.21
Independent 596,583 0.19
Independent 527,146 0.16
Independent 495,191 0.15
Independent 379,846 0.12
Total 321,307,273 100.00
Total votes 44,979,151
Registered voters/turnout 55,739,911 80.69
Source: COMELEC

2022 vice presidential election

Candidate Party Votes %
Duterte, SaraSara Duterte Lakas–CMD 32,208,417 61.53
Pangilinan, KikoKiko Pangilinan Liberal Party 9,329,207 17.82
Sotto, TitoTito Sotto Nationalist People's Coalition 8,251,267 15.76
Ong, WillieWillie Ong Aksyon Demokratiko 1,878,531 3.59
Atienza, LitoLito Atienza PROMDI 270,381 0.52
Lopez, Manny SDManny SD Lopez Labor Party Philippines 159,670 0.31
Bello, WaldenWalden Bello Partido Lakas ng Masa 100,827 0.19
Serapio, CarlosCarlos Serapio Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi 90,989 0.17
David, RizalitoRizalito David Democratic Party of the Philippines 56,711 0.11
Total 52,346,000 100.00
Valid votes 52,346,000 93.43
Invalid/blank votes 3,682,855 6.57
Total votes 56,028,855 100.00
Registered voters/turnout 67,523,697 82.98
Source: Congress (vote totals); COMELEC (election day turnout, absentee turnout)

2025 Senate election

Candidate Party Votes %
DuterTen Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 27,121,073 6.33
KiBam Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino 20,971,899 4.89
DuterTen Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 20,773,946 4.85
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Lakas–CMD 17,118,881 4.00
KiBam Liberal Party 15,343,229 3.58
DuterTen Independent 15,250,723 3.56
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Independent 15,106,111 3.53
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Nationalist People's Coalition 14,832,996 3.46
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Nacionalista Party 14,573,430 3.40
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Nacionalista Party 13,651,274 3.19
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Nationalist People's Coalition 13,394,102 3.13
Nacionalista Party 13,339,227 3.11
Independent 12,090,090 2.82
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Lakas–CMD 12,027,845 2.81
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Nationalist People's Coalition 11,808,645 2.76
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Partido Federal ng Pilipinas 11,580,520 2.70
DuterTen Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 10,615,598 2.48
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Partido Federal ng Pilipinas 10,397,133 2.43
DuterTen Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 10,241,491 2.39
Riding-in-Tandem Team Independent 9,805,903 2.29
Independent 8,759,732 2.04
Independent 8,568,924 2.00
DuterTen Independent 8,450,668 1.97
DuterTen Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 8,383,593 1.96
Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas Partido Federal ng Pilipinas 7,702,550 1.80
DuterTen Partido Demokratiko Pilipino 7,471,704 1.74
Aksyon Demokratiko 7,371,944 1.72
Reform PH Party 6,700,772 1.56
Partido Lakas ng Masa 6,481,413 1.51
DuterTen Independent 5,789,181 1.35
DuterTen Independent 5,719,041 1.33
Makabayan 4,648,271 1.08
Makabayan 4,343,773 1.01
Partido Lakas ng Masa 4,136,899 0.97
Makabayan 4,091,257 0.95
Riding-in-Tandem Team Nacionalista Party 3,950,051 0.92
Makabayan 3,927,784 0.92
Workers' and Peasants' Party 3,865,792 0.90
Makabayan 3,846,216 0.90
Makabayan 3,670,972 0.86
Independent 2,556,983 0.60
Independent 2,389,847 0.56
Independent 1,150,095 0.27
Independent 1,032,201 0.24
Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas 990,091 0.23
Makabayan 829,084 0.19
Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago 818,437 0.19
Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi 801,677 0.19
Makabayan 779,868 0.18
Makabayan 744,506 0.17
Partido Maharlika 731,453 0.17
Independent 671,818 0.16
Independent 618,943 0.14
Independent 611,432 0.14
Bunyog Party 607,642 0.14
Aksyon Demokratiko 587,098 0.14
Aksyon Demokratiko Independent 571,637 0.13
Makabayan 564,948 0.13
Makabayan 554,385 0.13
Independent 476,855 0.11
Partido Maharlika 460,662 0.11
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 458,383 0.11
Independent 448,794 0.10
Workers' and Peasants' Party 414,027 0.10
Democratic Party of the Philippines 383,534 0.09
Independent 310,562 0.07
Total 428,489,615 100.00
Total votes 57,350,958
Registered voters/turnout 69,673,655 82.31
Source: COMELEC

See also

  • List of Harvard University politicians
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