By Brian Campued
A week since the start of the first regular session of the 20th Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives formalized their respective committee chairpersonships, assigning panel heads focused on various sectors and issues of the country.
On July 28, the upper chamber voted 19-5 in favor of retaining Sen. Francis Escudero as Senate President; the majority of the lower chamber likewise chose Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez as the House Speaker.
The Senate then proceeded to elect Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as Senate President Pro Tempore; Sen. Joel Villanueva as Majority Leader; Senators Rodante Marcoleta and JV Ejercito as Deputy Majority Leaders; Sen. Vicente Sotto III as Minority Leader; and Senators Risa Hontiveros and Juan Miguel Zubiri as Deputy Minority Leaders.
On the other hand, the House elected Quezon 2nd District Rep. David Suarez as Senior Deputy Speaker; Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin, Lanao Del Sur 2nd District Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong, La Union 1st District Rep. Francisco Paolo Ortega V, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, Antipolo 1st District Rep. Ronaldo Puno, Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino Dy III, Iloilo 4th District Rep. Ferjenel Biron, and TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza as Deputy Speakers.
Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos and Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor as Deputy Majority Floor Leader were elected as Majority Leader and Senior Deputy Majority Leader, respectively, while 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan was elected as the Minority Leader.
As of Aug. 4, here is the list of Senate committee chairpersonships under the 20th Congress:
- Accountability of Public Officers & Investigations (Blue Ribbon) – Sen. Rodante Marcoleta
- Accounts – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
- Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
- Banks, Financial Institutions, and Currencies – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
- Basic Education – Sen. Bam Aquino
- Civil Service, Government Reorganization, and Professional Regulation – Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa
- Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes – Sen. Francis Pangilinan
- Cooperatives – Sen. Imee Marcos
- Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs – Sen. Robinhood Padilla
- Culture and the Arts – Sen. Loren Legarda
- Economic Affairs – Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri
- Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation – Sen. Panfilo Lacson
- Energy – Sen. Pia Cayetano
- Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change – Sen. Camille Villar
- Finance – Sen. Win Gatchalian
- Foreign Relations – Sen. Imee Marcos
- Games and Amusement – Sen. Erwin Tulfo
- Government Corporations and Public Enterprises – Sen. Mark Villar
- Health and Demography – Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go
- Higher, Technical and Vocational Education – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
- Justice and Human Rights – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
- Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development – Sen. Imee Marcos
- Local Government – Sen. JV Ejercito
- Migrant Workers – Sen. Raffy Tulfo
- National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation – Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito
- Public Information and Mass Media – Sen. Robinhood Padilla
- Public Order and Dangerous Drugs – Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa
- Public Services – Sen. Raffy Tulfo
- Public Works – Sen. Mark Villar
- Rules – Sen. Joel Villanueva
- Science and Technology – Sen. Bam Aquino
- Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development – Sen. Erwin Tulfo
- Sports – Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go
- Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation and Futures Thinking – Sen. Pia Cayetano
- Tourism – Sen. JV Ejercito
- Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship – Sen. Rodante Marcoleta
- Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement – Sen. Manuel Lapid
- Ways and Means – Sen. Pia Cayetano
- Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality – Sen. Risa Hontiveros
- Youth – Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go
Meanwhile, as of Aug. 7, here is the list of panel chairpersonships of the House of Representatives:
- Rules – Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos
- Accounts – Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora
- Appropriations – Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing
- Ways and Means – Rep. Miro Quimbo
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources – Rep. Tsuyoshi Horibata
- Banks and Financial Intermediaries – Rep. Irwin Tieng
- Basic Education and Culture – Rep. Roman Romulo
- Civil Service and Professional Regulation – Rep. Laarni Lavin Roque
- Climate Change – Rep. Aniela Bianca Tolentino
- Constitutional Amendments – Rep. Rufus Rodriguez
- Dangerous Drugs – Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores
- Good Government and Public Accountability – Rep. Joel Chua
- Human Rights – Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.
- Public Information – Rep. Lordan Suan
- Public Order and Safety – Rep. Rolando Valeriano
- Agriculture and Food – Rep. Wilfrido Enverga
- Cooperatives and Development – Rep. Felimon Espares
- Economic Affairs – Rep. Antonio Legarda Jr.
- Energy – Rep. Jose Alvarez
- Foreign Affairs – Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas
- Games and Amusements – Rep. Antonio Ferrer
- Higher and Technical Education – Rep. Jude Acidre
- House and Urban Development – Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar
- Information and Communications Technology – Rep. Miguel Luis Villafuerte
- Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Diplomacy – Rep. Ma. Georgina De Venecia
- Justice – Rep. Gerville Luistro
- Labor and Employment – Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla
- Legislative Franchises – Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer
- Metro Manila Development – Rep. Dean Asistio
- Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development – Rep. Leody Tarriela
- National Defense and Security – Rep. Oscar Malapitan
- Natural Resources – Rep. Alfredo Marañon III
- North Luzon Growth Quadrangle – Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba
- Public Works and Highways – Rep. Romeo Momo Sr.
- Revision of Laws – Rep. Emigdio Tanjuatco III
- Rural Development – Rep. Wilton Kho
- Science and Technology – Rep. Julio Ledesma IV
- Tourism – Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona
- Trade and Industry – Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr.
- Transportation – Rep. Franz Pumaren
- Youth and Sports Development – Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III
- Public Accounts – Rep. Terry Ridon
- Ethics and Privileges – Rep. JC Abalos
- Special Committee on Creative Industries – Rep. Javier Miguel Lopez Benitez
- Flagship Programs and Projects – Rep. Jose Arturo Garcia Jr.
- Local Government – Rep. Florencio Miraflores
- Social Services – Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario
- Special Committee on Persons with Disabilities – Rep. Alfelito Bascug
- Special Committee on Globalization and WTO – Rep. Kristine Tutor
- Special Committee on Strategic Intelligence – Rep. Alexander Pimentel
- Special Committee on Nuclear Energy – Rep. Mark Cojuangco
- Special Committee on West Philippine Sea – Rep. Maria Angela Garcia
- Agrarian Reform – Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang
- Mindanao Affairs – Rep. Jason Almonte
- Veterans Affairs and Welfare – Rep. Rudy Caoagdan, DPA
- Special Committee on Food Security – Rep. Adrian Salceda
- Disaster Resilience – Rep. Joseph Lara
- Ecology – Rep. Maria Vanessa Aumentado, RN
- Government Enterprises and Privatization – Rep. Eric Olivarez
- Muslim Affairs – Rep. Bai Dimple Mastura
- Government Reorganization – Rep. Salvador Pleyto
- Overseas Workers Affairs – Rep. Bryan Revilla
- Health – Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr., MD, FPSO-NHS
- Populations and Family Relations – Rep. Roger Gaviola Mercado
- Poverty Alleviation – Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
- Women and Gender Equality – Rep. Ma. Rene Ann Lourdes Matibag
- Sustainable Development Goals – Rep. Jose Manuel Alba
- Special Committee on Bicol Affairs and Economic Development – Rep. Eulogio Rodriguez
- Visayas Development – Rep. Lolita Javier
- Special Committee on Land Use – Rep. Francisco Matugas
- Special Committee on Southern Tagalog Development – Rep. Ramil Hernandez
- Welfare of Children – Rep. Richelle Singson
- Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity – Rep. Samier Tan
- Special Committee on Bases Conversion – Rep. Mauricio Domogan
- People’s Participation – Rep. Marcelino Teodoro
- Special Committee on East ASEAN Growth Area – Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr.
- Commission on Appointments – Rep. Ramon Guico Jr. (Head)
- House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal – Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora (Head)
This will be updated as the 20th Congress appoints chairpersons of other committees.
-jpv
