MANILA, Philippines — In just less than two weeks since the 18th Congress opened last July 22, the Senate has completed its reorganization of 40 committees with neophyte senators either getting two to three chairmanships.
For the first time, the committee on education was split into two — the basic education, arts and culture; and the higher technical and vocational education.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian will chair the committee on basic education while Senator Joel Villanueva will head the committee on higher technical and vocational education.
Neophyte senators were also given important chairmanships like Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, who was elected chair of the committees on health, and sports; and Senator Ronald Dela Rosa as head of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs, and peace, unification, and reconciliation.
Senator Imee Marcos got the chairmanships of three committees — economic affairs, cultural communities, and electoral reforms while Senator Francis Tolentino is chair of committees on local government, and urban planning, housing, and resettlement.
Like Marcos, Senator Cynthia Villar, who topped the 2019 senatorial race, got the chairmanships of three committees— agrarian reform, agriculture and food, and environment and natural resources.
Below is the complete list of the committees and chairmanships in the Senate:
- Accountability of Public Officers & Investigations (Blue Ribbon) — Senator Richard Gordon
- Accounts — Senator Panfilo Lacson
- Agrarian Reform — Senator Cynthia Villar
- Agriculture and Food — Senator Cynthia Villar
- Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies — Senator Grace Poe
- Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation — Senator Nancy Binay
- Climate Change- Senator — Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
- Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes — Senator Francis Pangilinan
- Cooperatives — Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri
- Cultural Communities — Senator Imee Marcos
- Economic Affairs — Senator Imee Marcos
- Basic Education, Arts and Culture — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
- Higher Technical and Vocational Education — Senator Joel Villanueva
- Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation — Senator Imee Marcos
- Energy — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
- Environment and Natural Resources — Senator Cynthia Villar
- Ethics and Privileges — Senator Manny Pacquiao
- Finance — Senator Sonny Angara
- Foreign Relations — Senator Aqulino “Koko” Pimentel III
- Games and Amusement — Senator Lito Lapid
- Government Corporations and Public Enterprises — Senator Richard Gordon
- Health and Demography — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go
- Justice and Human Rights — Senator Richard Gordon
- Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development — Senator Joel Villanueva
- Local Government — Senator Francis Tolentino
- National Defense and Security — Senator Francis Tolentino
- Peace, Unification and Reconciliation — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
- Public Information and Mass Media — Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.
- Public Order and Dangerous Drugs — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
- Public Services — Senator Grace Poe
- Public Works — Senator Manny Pacquiao
- Rules — Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri
- Science and Technology — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
- Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development — Senator Leila De Lima
- Sports — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go
- Tourism — Senator Nancy Binay
- Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship — Senator Aqulino “Koko” Pimentel III
- Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement — Senator Francis Tolentino
- Ways and Means — Senator Pia Cayetano
- Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality — Senator Risa Hontiveros
- Youth — Senator Sonny Angara