Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
The House of Representatives has filled up about 60 standing and special committees in two days of plenary sessions.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda was kept at the helm of the powerful committee on ways and means which handles legislation relating to fiscal and financial affairs of the national government including taxes, tariffs, revenues and borrowings.
Speaker Martin Romualdez’s wife and Tingog Sinirangan Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez was put in charge of the committee on accounts, which handles the chamber’s internal budget.
Negros Occidental Rep. Juliet Ferrer was chosen to head the committee on justice, while Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez was named chair of the public order and safety panel. Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers heads the committee on dangerous drugs.
Appropriations
Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co was made chair of the committee on appropriations, Bohol Rep. Edgardo Chatto was given the top seat on committee on climate change, and Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo was tapped to head the committee on basic education and culture. Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. is chairing the committee on economic affairs.
Baguio City Rep. Marquez Go will preside over the committee on higher and technical education; Lanao del Sur Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, Muslim affairs; Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., natural resources; and Surigao del Sur Rep. Romeo Momo, public works and highways.
The other chairpersons are as follows: Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao, agrarian reform; Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, agriculture and food; Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, aquaculture and fisheries resources; Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines Rep. Nicanor Briones, cooperatives development; and Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Ecleo, disaster resilience.
Cavite Rep. Antonio Ferrer will head the committee on games and amusement; Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez, government enterprises and privatization; Negros Occidental Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, housing and urban development; and Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Glona Labadlabad, interparliamentary relations and diplomacy.
Franchises, public works
Chosen to head the committee on labor and employment was Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles; Parañaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting, legislative franchises; and Misamis Oriental Rep. Christian Unabia, micro, small and medium enterprise development.
Former Valenzuela City Mayor and now Rep. Rex Gatchalian gets the committee on local government, while Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano will have the panel on Metro Manila development.
Kabalikat ng Mamamayan Rep. Ron Salo will chair the committee on overseas workers affairs; San Jose del Monte Rep. Florida Robes, people’s participation; Masbate Rep. Wilton Kho, rural development; and Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop, transportation.
Special committees
Heading the special committees are Pangasinan Rep. Christopher de Venecia, creative industry and performing arts; Sultan Kudarat Rep. Princess Rihan Sakaluran, East Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Growth Area; Ang Probinsiyano Rep. Alfred Delos Santos, globalization and World Trade Organization; and Laguna Rep. Ruth Mariano-Hernandez, Southern Tagalog development.