Dinagat Islands Representative Kaka Bag-ao is an alternative lawyer and a human rights advocate. She graduated with a degree in Political Science at De La Salle University in 1989 and finished her Juris Doctor degree at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law in 1993. She was a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow and studied International Human Rights and Peace at the University of Minnesota in 2007.
She was the lead counsel of the Sumilao farmers, who walked the 1,700 km distance between Sumilao, Bukidnon in Mindanao and Manila. She also led the civil society organizations in the passage of the CARPER Law.
During her term as AKBAYAN Representative, she was one of the public prosecutors in the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona. She was also appointed as the Legislative Liaison of the Lone District of Dinagat Islands. She authored the Reproductive Health Law and other social legislation – the Land Use Bill, the Minerals Management Bill, the Anti-Discrimination Bill, and the Freedom of Information Bill.
Because of her work with the Sumilao farmers and her work as an alternative lawyer, she received the prestigious Frederik Ozanam award in 2008, given to people who, in living out the demands of faith, justice and love, have given distinctive and continued service to their brothers and sisters especially the poor and suffering, and the “Parangal Para Sa Natatanging Indibidwal na Katuwang sa Pagsusulong ng Hustisyang Panlipunan” by De La Salle University in 2009. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) Award for Law in 2010. In recognition of her work as a public servant, she received the Rotary Outstanding Surigaonon Award (ROSA) for Public Service by the Rotary Club of Metro Surigao in 2013.
Atty. Kaka's Blog 