Caps off to Kakie!
Simone Francesca Emmanuelle "Kakie" Pangilinan, the daughter of Sharon Cuneta and Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, has officially graduated from college.
On May 16, 2025, Kakie earned her degree in literature and anthropology from The New School, a private research university in New York City known for its progressive and interdisciplinary approach to education.
The ceremony was a milestone in itself, but the most emotional surprise came after the formalities ended.
Read: Sharon Cuneta, KC Concepcion overjoyed about family coming together for Kakie's 22nd birthday
KAKIE'S SURPRISE REUNION WITH YAYA IRISH
Draped in her graduation toga and brimming with excitement, Kakie wasn’t expecting to see one of the most important people from her childhood: her beloved Yaya Irish.
Sharon took to Instagram on May 18, 2025, to share the touching surprise.
“Our surprise for @frankiepangilinan on her grad was her Yaya Irish! We brought her with us because she has taken care of Kakie for years now and they are so close!” she wrote, accompanied by heart emojis.
The Megastar also posted family photos celebrating Kakie’s achievement, including moments from their post-graduation bonding in New York’s Chinatown.
“Our fresh grad!!! [red heart emojis] May 16, 2025. #thenewschoolnyc,” Sharon captioned another post.
Read: This photo of Frankie Pangilinan had her mom Sharon Cuneta exclaim "Maryosep!"
A DREAM THAT BEGAN IN 2019
Kakie began her academic journey at The New School in August 2019.
In a vlog Sharon released that same month, her daughter explained that she had seriously considered studying in the Philippines but ultimately chose New York to gain a deeper sense of independence.
“A lot of people think it wasn’t an option, but it was always an option.
“While studying in New York kind of exudes a kind of privilege, there’s also a certain privilege that would have come with me studying here.
“It’s gonna be a whole different learning curve.”
Kakie is the eldest daughter of Sharon and the newly-elected senator.
Her younger sister, Miel, is also currently attending college in New York.
Meanwhile, Sharon’s eldest daughter, KC Concepcion—whom she shares with ex-husband Gabby Concepcion—pursued her college studies in Paris, France.
Kakie's SUPPORT FOR her father's political campaign
Even as she prepared to graduate, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter penned a series of handwritten letters to mayors across the country, backing Kiko's senatorial bid for the 2025 national elections.
Identifying herself simply as a private citizen and soon-to-be college graduate, a portion of her letter read:
“As I compose this message… I have a real passion for the handwritten in this age of digital impermanence.
“Please help us carry his dream forward—for the future of our meal tables, for the dignity and protection of our farmers and fisherfolk.”
Kakie emphasized that her father’s campaign operated without a “political machinery” or a “billion-peso budget,” and instead leaned on his long-time advocacy for food security and support for Filipino farmers.
She painted a picture of her father: a man who wears decades-old clothes, uses the same wallet and watch for years, and still does the grocery shopping himself.
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