Former Taguig mayor Lino Cayetano marked Feb. 5 as the day he donated part of his liver for his dad, the late senator Rene Cayetano, 22 years ago. 

It was on Feb. 5, 2003 when he underwent a 12-hour operation where doctors took two-thirds of his liver to give it to his dad, who needed a liver transplant. 

“Feb 5, 2003.  Liver transplant anniv namin ni Dad. Ang bilis ng panahon 22 years na. Ngayon na may mga anak na ako, naiintindihan ko bakit AYAW ni Dad na magsakripisyo ako at sumailalim ako sa maselan na transplant procedure para madugtungan ang buhay nya. (Feb. 5, 2003. Liver transplant anniv with Dad. Time flies, it’s been 22 years. Now that I have children, I understand why Dad did not want me to make the sacrifice and undergo the delicate transplant procedure to extend his life),” Lino Cayetano posted on Facebook. 

The former senator passed away on June 25, 2003 at age 68. 

Lino Cayetano (Photo from Lino Cayetano's Facebook account) 

Lino Cayetano (right) with his dad, Rene Cayetano in the hospital in 2003 (Photo from Lino Cayetano's Facebook account)

Lino Cayetano with siblings Rene Carl Cayetano, Senator Pia Cayetano and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano (Photo from Lino Cayetano's Facebook account) 

Lino Cayetano said his decision to donate part of his liver was kept from his dad, who only learned about it after he underwent the transplant procedure. 

“Niyakap ko sha, ‘sorry hindi namin sinabi sayo’  niyakap nya ako ‘i knew it, i knew it was you’ (I hugged him and said, “sorry we didn’t tell you.’ He hugged me and said, ‘i knew it, i knew it was you’),” he added. 

According to Lino, “Minsan sa pamilya, hindi lahat ng bagay pareho kayo ng pananaw or opinion. OK LANG YON. Ang importante - maganda ang inyong intensyon, mabuti ang inyong mithiin at ginagawa mo lahat sa ngalan ng pagmamahal. (Sometimes in the family, you don’t have the same perspective or opinion on everything. That’s okay. What’s important is that your intentions are good, your goals are good and you do everything in the name of love.).” 

He revealed that his mom and dad didn’t want him to donate his liver. 

“Bunso ako, 25 years old noon, guro sa UP.  Pero ‘matigas ulo ko’ at ‘hindi ako mapakiusapan’ - kasi ang tama - ay tama.  Anak ako ni Rene Cayetano. Natatakot man ang iba - alam ng pamilya na ito ang dapat namin gawin sa ngalan ng pagmamahal sa aking ama (I was the youngest, 25 years old at the time, a teacher at UP. But I was ‘stubborn’ and ‘I couldn’t be asked’ - because what was right was right. I am Rene Cayetano's son. Although others were afraid - the family knew that this was what we must do in the name of love for my father),” he said. 

Lino Cayetano is running for congressman in the 1st District of Taguig-Pateros in the May 12, 2025 national and local elections.  

“Iba ang koneksyon ng isang ama sa isang anak at isang anak sa isang ama.  Baka mahirap ipaliwanag ito sa iba pero parte ng magiging misyon ko sa Taguig at Pateros, distrito din ng Aking Ama -na  ipaliwanag na lahat tayo ay dapat handa magsakripisyo para sa iba at hindi lang mga magulang ang dapat nagsasakripisyo para sa kanilang mga anak - tayo lahat - madaming pwede gawin para sa ating mga magulang, kapitbahay, Komunidad - basta nasa ngalan ng kabutihan at pagmamahal dapat natin suportahan (The connection between a father and a son and a son to a father is different. It may be difficult to explain this to others but part of my mission in Taguig and Pateros, also my father's district - is to explain that we should all be willing to sacrifice for others and that it is not just parents who should sacrifice for their children - we all - can do a lot for our parents, neighbors, Community - as long as it is in the name of goodness and love, we should support),” he said. 

“Happy Liver Anniv Dad. feb5 the day is always in our hearts,” Lino Cayetano wrote.