Imee Marcos likely to get two Senate panels; Lapid gets games committee

Senate of the Philippines. (File photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA,  Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos would likely get the chairmanship of the Senate committee on ways and means while returning Senator Lito Lapid would get the games and amusement panel.

This early, some of the newly-elected senators have already set their eyes on the committee chairmanships  in the Senate.

Of the 12 newly-elected senators, five are incumbents while seven are either new faces or returning senators.

The five incumbents are Senators Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Sonny Angara, Koko Pimentel and Nancy Binay; while the seven new and returning senators are Marcos,  Lapid, Christopher “Bong” Go, Francis Tolentino, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Pia Cayetano  and Ronald dela Rosa.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto  III said Marcos has already expressed her interest on leading the ways and means committee currently being chaired by Angara.

And she would likely get the post.

“Sya lang nag-express ng gusto n’ya eh. Umiiwas kaming lahat,” Sotto told reporters on  Wednesday. 

“Eh kung walang mayroong gusto, s’ya ang may gusto malamang kanya na,” he added.

Aside from ways and means, Sotto said Marcos is also interested to chair Angara’s committee on local government. 

And she would also likely get it since Angara is ready to give up all his other committees if he gets the committee on finance, the Senate leader also said.

Meanwhile, Lapid would get the Senate committee on games and amusement, which Senator Panfilo Lacson willingly gave up for him.

“Ang bilis-bilis ni Senator Lacson. Gusto mo, iyo na,” Sotto said.

Lacson had also given up his other chairmanship of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs for Dela Rosa.

Sotto earlier said Lacson would be the next chairman of the committee on national defense, which is currently  being chaired by outgoing Senator Gringo Honasan.

Cayetano, and incumbent Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva are interested to get the committee on education, now being headed by outgoing Senator  Francis “Chiz” Escudero.

Cayetano also wanted the Senate committee on health but it would likely be given to Go, Sotto said.

Revilla, on the other hand, is interested on two committees – public services  and public works. But both are currently being headed by incumbent  Senators Grace Poe and Manny Pacquiao, respectively.

It was Tolentino, who is said to be eyeing at least three committees – public services, and blue ribbon and justice, which are both being chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.  

But Gordon, who also chairs the committee on government corporations, has already said he would not give up chairmanships of his committees.

READ: Gordon refuses to give blue ribbon panel to Poe

(Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)