Risa Hontiveros

Ana Theresia "Risa" Navarro Hontiveros Baraquel ([ˈɾisa ɔntɪˈverɔs]; born February 24, 1966) is a Filipino politician who has served as a senator of the Philippines since 2016. A member of the progressive Akbayan party, she previously served as its party-list representative from 2004 to 2010.

Born to a prominent family in the Philippines, Hontiveros studied social sciences at the Ateneo de Manila University, graduating in 1987. She worked as a journalist for IBC and GMA Network and became involved in the formation of Akbayan in 1998. After being elected to the House of Representatives in 2004, she emerged as a major opposition figure to the administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. During her tenure as a representative, she advocated for the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill and the Reproductive Health Law.

Hontiveros ran for the Senate twice—in 2010 and 2013—before being elected in 2016. As a senator, she authored and led the passage of the Mental Health Act and the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act. During her first term, she was a vocal critic of the administration of Rodrigo Duterte and condemned his controversial war on drugs. At the same time, she became a target of misinformation surrounding her tenure as a PhilHealth trustee, which was later debunked by fact-checkers.

Hontiveros was reelected in 2022, becoming the only opposition senator to retain her seat in the upper chamber. Following the departure of Vice President Leni Robredo from public office, opposition figures, including Robredo herself, recognized Hontiveros as their new leader. In 2025, she managed the successful senatorial bids of Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, expanding the opposition bloc in the Senate. When Congress convened, she aligned herself with the minority bloc led by Tito Sotto, serving as deputy minority leader until Sotto was elected to the Senate presidency in September 2025, after which she was named deputy majority leader.