The NHCP joins the Filipino people in mourning the passing of Senator Santanina Tillah Rasul on 29 November 2024.
Born on 14 September 1930 in Siasi, Sulu, she made history by becoming the first Muslim woman to serve in the Senate of the Philippines and the first Muslim senator to win reelection.
Before this, she served as a public school teacher, and technical assistant to the Office of the President, municipal councilor, provincial board member, and commissioner. Her varied experience contributed to her work in the Senate from 1987 to 1995. She promoted Filipino culture, the rights of women and indigenous peoples, and peace in her homeland.
Among the laws she authored are those that granted civil service eligibility to government employees who served for at least seven years, declared March 8 as National Women’s Day, allowed women to enroll in the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy, and elevated the Philippine Normal College into a university.
After her term, she continued to be active through the Magbassa Kita Foundation which promoted literacy within communities.