{{Short description|Filipino lawyer and activist (born 1997)}} {{Philippine name|Manda|Co}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Renee Co | image = Rep. Renee Louise Co (20th Congress).jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2025 | office = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives for Kabataan Partylist | term_start = June 30, 2025 | term_end = | predecessor = Raoul Manuel | constituency = Party-list | office1 = Assistant Minority Floor Leader | term_start1 = July 30, 2025 | leader1 = Marcelino Libanan | birth_name = Renee Louise Manda Co | birth_date = November 3, 1997 | birth_place = | alma_mater = University of the Philippines Diliman (BA, JD) | occupation = {{hlist|Politician|activist}} | profession = Lawyer | party = Kabataan <small>(party-list)</small> | other_party = Makabayan | spouse = | children = | website = }} '''Renee Louise Manda Co''' (born November 3, 1997<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lando |first=Roy |date=2025-07-09 |title=Renee Co Biography - PeoPlaid Profile |url=https://peoplaid.com/2025/07/09/renee-co/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=PeoPlaid |language=en-US}}</ref>) is a Filipino politician and lawyer who is the representative for Kabataan Partylist, having been elected in 2025.
Born in Manila, Co studied political science at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she was involved with campus journalism and student activism. She pursued Juris Doctor at the University of the Philippines College of Law and graduated in 2023, passing the Philippine Bar Examinations the same year. In the 2025 Philippine House of Representatives elections, Kabataan named Co as their first nominee to the chamber. The partylist attained enough votes to secure Co a seat in the 20th Congress.
Co is a critic of the economic and defense policies pushed by the administration of President Bongbong Marcos and supports the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.
== Early life and education == Co's parents are Cebuano. She is from Malabon and graduated from the Manila Science High School in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Destinado |first1=Marjuice |title=REALITY CHECK: Kabataan Rep. Renee Co is not related to Zaldy Co |url=https://www.bulatlat.com/2025/09/17/reality-check-kabataan-rep-renee-co-is-not-related-to-zaldy-co/ |access-date=September 19, 2025 |work=Bulatlat |date=September 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250919094950/https://www.bulatlat.com/2025/09/17/reality-check-kabataan-rep-renee-co-is-not-related-to-zaldy-co/ |archive-date=September 19, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Suyat |first1=Karl Patrick |title=Kabataan charts 'Renee-issance' of youthful struggle |url=https://krisis.upjournalismclub.org/features/2025/kpl-on-the-trail/ |access-date=May 16, 2025 |work=Krisis |date=May 8, 2025}}</ref>
=== Student activism === Co pursued higher studies at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. While studying at UP, she served as editor-in-chief of the college's official publication, ''Sinag,'' and was the chairperson of the local chapter of the Kabataan Partylist in UP Diliman and co-convenor of UP Rises Against Tyranny and Dictatorship (UPRISE).<ref name="UP">{{cite news |last1=Aragon |first1=Roy |date=October 5, 2024 |title=Renee Co, 1st Nominee ti Kabataan Party-list |trans-title=Renee Co, 1st Nominee of the Kabataan Party-list |url=https://bannawag.mb.com.ph/2024/10/05/renee-co-1st-nominee-ti-kabataan-party-list/ |access-date=May 16, 2025 |work=Bannawag |publisher=Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. Group |language=Ilocano}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Dabu |first=Fred |date=2021-01-21 |title=Co begins term as 38th UP Student Regent - University of the Philippines |url=https://up.edu.ph/co-begins-term-as-38th-up-student-regent/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=up.edu.ph |language=en-US}}</ref> She graduated ''cum laude'' with a degree in political science in 2018. After her undergraduate studies, she took and finished law at the UP College of Law in 2023. That same year, she passed the Philippine Bar Examinations.<ref name="UP" />
In January 2021, she was chosen by representatives of student councils from across the UP System to be the 38th Student Regent, succeeding Isaac Punzalan.<ref name=":0" /> She denounced the unilateral abrogation of the 1989 UP–Department of National Defense Accord and called the decision "one of the [government's] worst attempts at destroying the institutional safeguards that UP students have fought to put in their struggle for their democratic rights.".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Del Rosario |first=Denver |date=2021-01-19 |title='No ground for tyrants:' UP community denounces DND scrapping of 1989 pact |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1385518/no-ground-for-tyrants-up-community-denounces-dnd-scrapping-of-1989-pact |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119050540/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1385518/no-ground-for-tyrants-up-community-denounces-dnd-scrapping-of-1989-pact |archive-date=January 19, 2021 |access-date=2021-10-17 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref>
== House of Representatives of the Philippines (from 2025) == thumb|Co during the Kabataan Partylist electoral rally, March 2025.|left|227x227px
=== Election === Co was chosen as the spokesperson and first nominee of Kabataan Partylist. She previously served as its executive vice president.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Argosino |first=Faith |date=2024-07-11 |title=Sara Duterte as 'designated survivor'? She must be 'delulu' – group |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1960160/sara-duterte-as-designated-survivor-she-must-be-delulu-group |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref>{{When|date=May 2025}} On October 5, 2024, Kabataan Partylist filed its certificate of nomination and acceptance before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) with Co as its first nominee, Paolo Echavez as second nominee, and Jpeg Garcia as third nominee.
=== Tenure === Co was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives on June 30, 2025. Co stated that one of the first priorities that Kabataan Partylist would push in the next Congress would be a students' rights bill against campus repression, as well as measures against online sexual exploitation of children and for mental health concerns among the youth. She also said that the youth agenda is against the prevalence of political dynasties in the Philippines.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Abad |first=Michelle |date=2024-10-05 |title=Kabataan eyes sustained House presence, says 'more to be won' |url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/elections/kabataan-partylist-files-cona-2025/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Rappler |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Dalumpines |first1=Glen Kerby |last2=Edmar Pineda |first2=John |date=October 8, 2024 |title=Senador, partylist ng Makabayan, naghain na ng kandidatura |url=https://pinoyweekly.org/2024/10/senador-partylist-ng-makabayan-naghain-na-ng-kandidatura/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Pinoy Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref>
House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio, House Assistant Minority Leader Co, and Gabriela party-list Representative Sarah Elago filed in November 2025 a resolution calling for a legislative probe on government officials with alleged links to the flood control corruption scandal, including President Bongbong Marcos, Representative Sandro Marcos, and former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Panti |first=Llanesca |date=November 26, 2025 |title=Makabayan: ICI should probe Marcos, Sandro, Bersamin over flood control mess |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/967508/makabayan-ici-should-probe-marcos-sandro-bersamin-over-flood-control-mess/story/ |access-date=January 20, 2026 |website=GMA News Online |language=en}}</ref>
== Political positions ==
=== Sara Duterte === Co has criticized Vice President Sara Duterte, calling her '''delulu''' (slang for delusional) for saying that she is the 'designated survivor' for not attending the 2024 State of the Nation Address of President Bongbong Marcos, citing her alleged misuse of confidential funds and her family's legacy of killings under the war on drugs.<ref name=":1" /> Co has been vocal for the impeachment of Vice President Duterte because of said budget anomalies and concerns regarding confidential and intelligence funds.<ref name=":2" /> She is one of the complainants who signed the second impeachment complaint on December 4, 2024, citing betrayal of public trust.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gomez |first=Jim |date=December 4, 2024 |title=Activists file second impeachment complaint against embattled Philippine Vice President Duterte |url=https://apnews.com/article/philippines-vice-president-duterte-impeachment-complaint-1edd5c533ae2f82d0cdad12bd5fd0c92 |access-date=December 6, 2024 |work=AP News |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Gatchalian |first1=Ched Rick |last2=Gulla |first2=Vivienne |date=Dec 4, 2024 |title=VP Sara Duterte faces second impeachment complaint |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/4/vp-sara-duterte-faces-second-impeachment-complaint-1532 |website=ABS-CBN}}</ref> On February 2, 2026, Makabayan bloc members by Antonio Tinio, Renee Co, and Sarah Elago endorsed an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dizon |first1=David |last2=Gregorio |first2=Agatha |last3=Gulla |first3=Vivienne |title='Today is the day': 2 new impeachment complaints filed vs Sara Duterte |url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/2/-today-is-the-day-makabayan-to-refile-impeach-complaint-vs-sara-duterte-0752 |website=ABS-CBN News |publisher=ABS-CBN Corporation |access-date=2 February 2026 |date=February 2, 2026}}</ref> [[File:ML Partylist representative Leila de Lima, Kabataan Partylist representative Renee Co and acting president of the Liberal Party and former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada during the Baha sa Luneta demonstrations.jpg|thumb|Co, together with Rep. Leila de Lima and former Rep. Erin Tañada at the September 21, 2025 Baha sa Luneta, part of anti-corruption protests.]]
=== Marcos Jr. administration === She and her party have also been critical of the Marcos Jr. administration because of policies such as the Maharlika Wealth Fund.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Go |first=Sabrina Joyce |date=2024-10-07 |title=The genuine opposition through the lens of Kabataan party-list leaders |url=https://verafiles.org/articles/the-genuine-opposition-through-the-lens-of-kabataan-party-list-leaders |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=VERA Files |language=en-US}}</ref> Co has also denounced the reimposition of mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), especially with billions of pesos worth of budget cuts for state universities and colleges in the Philippines for 2025 and grave insufficiency for the budget for education. Contrary to mandatory ROTC, she has encouraged the youth to live the ideals and nationalism of José Rizal and Andrés Bonifacio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abadilla |first=Bench |date=2024-09-30 |title=Marcos' ROTC bill push 'insulting' as SUCs face budget cuts - Kabataan party-list |url=https://politiko.com.ph/2024/09/30/marcos-rotc-bill-push-insulting-as-sucs-face-budget-cuts-kabataan-party-list/headlines/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=politiko.com.ph |language=en-US}}</ref>{{When|date=May 2025}} On January 26, 2026, Makabayan bloc members by Antonio Tinio, Renee Co, and Sarah Elago endorsed an impeachment complaint against President Bongbong Marcos.<ref>{{cite news |last=Porcalla |first=Delon |title=Second impeach complaint vs Marcos refiled |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/01/27/2503723/second-impeach-complaint-vs-marcos-refiled |access-date=30 January 2026 |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=January 27, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=La Viña |first=Tony |title=Two impeachments, one political game |url=https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/two-impeachments-one-political-game/ |website=Rappler |access-date=30 January 2026 |date=January 28, 2026}}</ref>
==Personal life== Renee Co is not related to Ako Bicol partylist representative Zaldy Co. The accusation stems from a viral AI-generated photo that used Google Gemini that featured Zaldy Co and Renee Co hugging.<ref name="not-related-rappler-september-19-2025">{{Cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250919072606/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/viral-photo-renee-co-zaldy-co-ai-manipulated/|archive-date=September 19, 2025|access-date=September 19, 2025|url= https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/viral-photo-renee-co-zaldy-co-ai-manipulated/|website=Rappler|title=FACT CHECK: Renee Co and Zaldy Co are not related, viral photo is AI-manipulated|first=John|last=Sitchon |date=19 September 2025 }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline}} {{Bagong Alyansang Makabayan}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Co, Renee}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Cebuano women Category:People from Malabon Category:Makabayan politicians Category:Women members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines for Kabataan Category:University of the Philippines Diliman alumni Category:21st-century Filipino lawyers Category:Filipino activists