Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez[1] (June 27, 1914 – July 14, 2016) was a Filipina academic and administrator of the Philippine Women's University.

[3] She served in the Senate of the Philippines from 1967[4] until Congress was closed when martial law was declared in 1972, and at the Batasang Pambansa from 1978 until it was abolished in 1986.

These commissions tried to revive indigenous arts and crafts through training, facilitation workshops, and funding institutions.

Benitez was proud of the fact that the Bayanihan had highly authentic costumes and instruments from Filipino "tribal" peoples.

This led to the Bayanihan's historic performance on October 13, 1959, at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway, which paved the way for the Bayanian becoming the most prominent Filipino dance troupe of that time.