Loading ...Francis Nepomuceno Pangilinan, also known as Kiko Pangilinan, is a Senator in the Philippine Government since 2001. He was the former Senate Majority Leader until 2008, replaced by Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Pangilinan was born on August 24, 1963 in Manila to Donato Pangilinan, an engineer and entrepreneur from Pampanga, and Emma Nepomuceno, a public school teacher from Nueva Ecija and Marinduque. He is the fifth child in a brood of nine. His siblings are Maricel Arenas, Angeli Valenciano, Nenette Zipperich, Joseph, Anthony, Felichi Buizon, John Raymund and Donna Simpao. He is also a relative to Carmela Espiritu "Candy" Pangilinan, a comedienne-actress.
Kiko, as he is widely known, first made his mark as a young lawyer giving free legal assistance on-air and closely monitored case progress through the television program “Hoy Gising!” over ABS-CBN where he was a co-anchor and segment host. He also anchored radio programs, including “Batas” and “Relos Report with Atty. Kiko” over DZMM, programs aimed at making the Philippine’s legal court system more understandable to the masses by increasing their understanding of their rights and duties under the law.
After an 18-month hiatus from local broadcast media, he returned by conceptualizing and then hosting “Barangay Dos”, a service-oriented television program aired over ABS-CBN, dedicated to finding solutions to the everyday problems of the common Filipinos. The program established him as an intelligent, articulate, working, and involved lawyer and a media personality.
He completed his elementary education at La Salle Green Hills in 1977. He completed his secondary education still in La Salle Green Hills in 1981.
He finished his college education and graduated from University of the Philippines, Diliman with a Bachelor of Arts in English, Major in Comparative Literature.
It was during his college years at the University of the Philippines when his sense of nationalism deepened. A summer job working for his father in the hinterlands of Antique brought him face to face with the poverty and the impotence of government presence and basic services in the rural areas.
He served as chairman of the University of the Philippines Student Council in 1986 under the student political party SAMASA and was the first Student Regent of the UP Board of Regents in 1987. He was elected Philippine representative to the Committee on Youth Cooperation of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In 1997, he left the country for Boston, Massachusetts U.S.A. along with his wife, celebrity Sharon Cuneta and daughter to pursue his Master of Public Administration at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government where he graduated with a general average of A-.
He is married to actress and TV personality Sharon Cuneta (on April 28, 1996) and is father to Simone Francesca Emmanuelle (Frankie) and Mariel Daniella Sophia (Miel). He is the stepfather of Maria Kristina Cassandra (KC Concepcion) whom he legally adopted.
Two other Pangilinan siblings also have connections in local showbiz via marriage. His sister, Angeli Pangilinan, is a popular talent manager who is married to singer Gary Valenciano. Another sibling, Anthony, is married to former beauty queen and actress, Maricel Laxa.
Other Information
- Birth name : Francis Nepomuceno Pangilinan
- Also known as : Kiko Pangilinan
- Birthday : August 24, 1963
- Birthplace : Manila, Philippines
- Residence : Mandaluyong City
- Political party : Liberal Party (2001 to date)
- Other political affiliations : LDP (1988-1992)
- Schools attended :
- Elementary education, La Salle Green Hills (1977)
- Secondary education, La Salle Green Hills (1981)
- Bachelor of Arts in English, Major in Comparative Literature, University of the Philippines, Diliman
- Master of Public Administration, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Boston, Massachusetts U.S.A. (1997)
- Father : Donato Pangilinan
- Mother : Emma Nepomuceno
- Siblings :
- Maricel Arenas
- Angeli Valenciano
- Nenette Zipperich
- Joseph
- Anthony
- Felichi Buizon
- John Raymund
- Donna Simpao
- Spouse : Sharon Cuneta
- Children :
- Kristina Cassandra Pangilinan (KC Concepcion)
- Simone Francesca Emmanuelle Pangilinan
- Mariel Daniella Sophia Pangilinan
- Profession : Lawyer, Politician
- Religion : Evangelical Christian
Notable Events
- Judicial Executive Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELAC) (2008)
Cesar Purisima
Ronaldo Puno
Raul Gonzalez
Jose de Jesus
Leonila Chavez