Winnie Monsod

Solita Collas-Monsod
5th Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority Concurrently Minister of Economic Planning
In office 1986–1989
President	Corazon Aquino
Preceded by	Vicente Valdepeñas, Jr.
Succeeded by	Jesus Estanislao
Personal details
Born	(1940-07-29) July 29, 1940 Manila, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Aksyon
Other political affiliations	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Christian Monsod
Children	Solita Noemi Toby Melissa Teresa Patricia Christian Enrique Katrina Diane Noelle
Parents	Juan D. Collas Soledad Garduno
Alma mater	The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania University of the Philippines
Occupation	Economist, Professor, TV Host
Known for	Television host and economist

Solita Collas-Monsod, popularly known as Mareng Winnie, (born July 29, 1940) is a Filipino broadcaster, host, economist, and writer. She had been the 5th Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority and concurrently socio-economic planning secretary of the Philippines from 1986 to 1989.

Educated at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, she holds the rank of Professor Emeritus at the University of the Philippines School of Economics.^[1]

Education

Monsod graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree, Cum Laude at the University of the Philippines in 1959 and is a member of the Sigma Delta Phi Sorority. She obtained a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1962 and became a Ph.D. candidate in economics, having completed all requirements except her dissertation, in 1963.

Academic career

Monsod has been teaching in the University of the Philippines School of Economics since 1963. In 2005, she was nominated to be the President of the University of the Philippines System, an office tasked with the management of all UP campuses nationwide.

In October 2010, a video of Monsod's last lecture in Economics 100.1 (Introduction to Macroeconomics) became a viral hit online. In her impromptu remarks, she said: "You're going to be as good and as honorable as you should be. You are going to stay in the Philippines. And if you leave the Philippines, you are at least going to try to pay back. And if you don't do any of the above, this is my last threat to you. Mrs. Monsod is going to haunt you! From the grave! I intend to go up there and from up there I'm going to look down on you and I am going to confront you at the worst possible moments in your life." ^[2]

Winnie Monsod was a member of the UN Committee for Development Planning (UNCDP) from 1987 to 2000 and the Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on January 1996. She was also a member of the Board of Advisors of Human Development Report on 1993 and the Board of Advisors of South Centre, which as established to follow-up the recommendations of the South Commission, organized in 1987 at the initiative of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia and chaired by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, from 1991 to 1995. The Commission issued a report in 1990 entitled The Challenge of the South which has since been translated in five languages.

Political career

Professor Monsod is best remembered for her role as the Minister of Economic Planning, and later Secretary of Socio-economic Planning and concurrent Director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) from 1986 to 1989, during the term of President Corazon Aquino.

Monsod ran for the Senate of the Philippines under the administration party of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, People Power Coalition in the 2001 national elections but lost. In 2005, Monsod became an outspoken critic of Arroyo upon massive allegations of election cheating, graft and corruption.

Media career

She was co-host in the GMA Network show Debate with Mare and Pare with former Pangasinan Governor and 1998 vice presidential candidate Oscar Orbos. Monsod co-hosted the now defunct show Palaban with investigative journalist Malou Mangahas and former beauty queen Miriam Quiambao. She also hosted the weekly segment Analysis in the news program News on Q on QTV Network. She also writes a bi-weekly column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

She is currently hosting a show entitled Bawal ang Pasaway in GMA News TV.

• 1974–1976 GMA Evening Report (correspondent)
• 1976–1986 News at Seven (commentator)
• 1989–1995 GMA Balita (commentator)
• 1995–1999 Saksi (co-anchor)
• November 1998–February 2001, July 2001–November 2006 Debate with Mare at Pare co-host
• March 2, 2011–present Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie (host)

Awards

Monsod is a recipient of numerous awards for broadcasting and government service.

• Broadcaster of the Year, 2000. Award presented by KBP.
• Best TV Program Host, Public Affairs Program. Award presented by Star Awards.
• Best Public Affairs Program, 2000. Award presented by Catholic Mass Media Awards.
• Best TV Program Host, Public Affairs Program, 1999. Award presented by Star Awards.
• Woman of Distinction, 1995. Award presented by Soroptimist International Makati.
• Woman of the Year, 1988. Award presented by Perspectives, publication of the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines.
• Cabinet Secretary of the Year, 1988 and 1999. Award presented by the Philippine Free Press.
• Professional Award in Economics, 1987. Award presented by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association.
• Mariang Maya Award. Presented by the Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association, University of the Philippines.

Personal life

Monsod is married to Christian S. Monsod, a corporate executive and one-time Chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections. They have five children holding different careers.

References

External links

• 2001 Senatorial Page
• GMA Broadcasting Network
• University of the Philippines Diliman
• National Economic Development Authority
• Audio interview with Winnie Monsod (March 2010)