New Senate committee chairpersons named amid shake-up
MANILA, Philippines – Another Senate shake-up installed new committee chairpersons on Wednesday following a motion declaring all Senate leadership positions vacant except the presidency.
In the absence of Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and his allies, the former 11-member minority bloc was joined by Sen. Francis Escudero, leaving Cayetano and his bloc with only 10 members.
The new majority consists of Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian, Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, and Sens. Escudero, Bam Aquino, Erwin Tulfo, Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Kiko Pangilinan, Lito Lapid, Panfilo Lacson, and Vicente Sotto III.
READ: Gatchalian elected Senate president pro tempore
The elected committee chairpersons are as follows:
- Ejercito – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance
- Sotto – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation
- Lacson – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs; and Committee on Accounts
- Erwin Tulfo – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon)
- Raffy Tulfo – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services
- Aquino – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education
- Pangilinan – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform
- Hontiveros – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography
- Lapid – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement
- Zubiri – Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Escudero was also retained as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement. /mcm
