During a Senate hearing on March 3, 2026, Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked American basketball player Elizabeth Means if she has a Filipino boyfriend, drawing widespread criticism on social media. The remark came while discussing her application for Filipino citizenship as a Gilas Women prospect. The incident occurred amid National Women’s Month, amplifying backlash against such comments from officials.
On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, during a hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, lawmakers discussed Senate Bill 1594 and HB 5813 regarding Filipino citizenship for Elizabeth Means, a 24-year-old American prospect for the Gilas Women basketball team. In a lighthearted moment, Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked Means: “You have Filipino boyfriend?” Means chuckled and replied: “Not yet po.”
Estrada followed up with: “Maybe Senator Pangilinan might want to apply? Sorry kay Sharon.” Senator Francis Pangilinan, the committee chairman, responded: “Magagalit ’yung commander,” referring to his wife, Sharon Cuneta.
The remarks sparked strong reactions on social media, particularly during National Women’s Month. Filmmaker Jun Lana posted on X: “When will our leaders realize that their casual sexism is a national embarrassment?” Ceej Tantengco-Malolos, founder of Go Hard Girls, stated: “A 63-year-old creepily asking a 24-year-old about her personal life is not an appropriate way to assess this commitment.”
This follows controversy over Quezon City congressman Bong Suntay's comments about actress Anne Curtis. No official apology from Estrada has been recorded as of now, and it remains unclear if the remarks will be removed from Senate records.
