Senate elects first batch of committee chairmanships for 19th Congress

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MANILA, Philippines — It was a smooth-sailing election for the first batch of Senate committee chairmanships during the first regular session of the upper chamber on Tuesday. 

With newly-installed Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri presiding the session, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was elected as the chairperson of the Committee on Government Corporation and Public Enterprises, while his older sister Senator Pia Cayetano will serve as the chairperson for the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovations and Futures Thinking. 

Senator Mark Villar was named chairperson of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, while his mother, Senator Cynthia Villar, was elected to head the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform. 

Another set of siblings, Senators JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada, will be heading the Committee on Local Government and the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation, respectively. 

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos — the sister of the President — has been elected chairperson for the Committees on Foreign Relations and Social Justice. 

Neophyte senator Raffy Tulfo was selected to lead the Committee on Energy, while fellow newcomer Robinhood Padilla will take the helm of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes. 

The Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigation (Blue Ribbon) was assigned to Senator Francis Tolentino, and the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs will again be under the leadership of Senator Ronald dela Rosa. 

Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros, on the other hand, was re-elected to lead the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, while Senator Grace Poe will be the chairperson of the Committee on Public Services. 

The Committee on Accounts will have Senator Nancy Binay as its chairperson. 

Moreover, Senators Sonny Angara and Francis Escudero will take the helm at the Committee on Finance and Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, respectively.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian will take charge of the Committee on Ways and Means.  

The Committee on Games and Amusement will be led by Senator Lito Lapid, the Committee on Health and Demography for Senator Christopher Go, and the Committee on Public Works for Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.

The upper chamber is set to convene again on Wednesday at 3 p.m. to continue its election for the chairpersons of the remaining Senate committees.

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