Zubiri is new Senate President
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri was officially installed as Senate President on Monday.
At the opening day of the 19th Congress, Zubiri was unanimously elected Senate president by his colleagues after six of 24 senators nominated him for the post.
The six who nominated Zubiri for the top Senate post were Senators Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Jinggoy Estrada, Grace Poe, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, and JV Ejercito.
“This institution must serve the Filipino people, and with Senator Zubiri at its helm, steering and charting its course, it can do much more,” Villanueva said.
He also described Zubiri as “the most qualified and eligible” to lead the upper chamber.
“For the above reasons and more, I nominate the gentleman from Bukidnon, Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, as our next Senate President,” he then said.
No one objected when Villanueva later moved to elect Zubiri as the new Senate leader.
Senator Pia Cayetano and her brother, Alan Peter Cayetano, later took the floor and manifested that they did not participate in the voting as they opted to become independent.
Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Risa Hontiveros said they also abstained from the voting.
Before assuming his new post, Zubiri served as the Senate Majority Floor Leader in the 18th Congress.
He was elected Senate President Pro Tempore before Congress adjourned last June 4 to ensure the continued discharge of powers and duties of the Senate leadership until the opening of a new Congress.
After winning his reelection bid in the last May senatorial race, Zubiri was among those immediately mentioned as one of the possible contenders for the top Senate post.
Senator Cynthia Villar was also reportedly eyeing the position but later declared her support for Zubiri’.
“A united Senate is a productive one. From the very beginning, I’ve always wanted to form a supermajority in the Senate, so I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart Ma’am Cynthia Villar,” Zubiri then said.
Key positions in the Senate had also been filled up and announced even during the adjournment of Congress following separate meetings with various blocs in the upper chamber.
Legarda, for instance, was already named then as Senate President Pro Tempore while Villanueva is the new Senate Majority Leader.
