The Senate seat to be vacated by Senator Sonny Angara when he assumes the role of Department of Education (DepEd) will remain vacant until the next elections, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“Unless there is a call from the Senate to call for a special election, the Senate seat will remain vacant,” Chairperson George Garcia told reporters in a Viber message on Tuesday.

A vacant Senate seat, unlike the House of Representatives, will no longer need a “caretaker,” according to Garcia.

“Wala [nang] caretaker not unlike sa [House of Representatives] dahil nationwide po ang constituency ng Senators (There’s no longer a caretaker unlike in the House of Representatives because the constituency of senators is nationwide),” he added.

On Tuesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed Angara as DepEd chief, replacing Vice President Sara Duterte who tendered her resignation last month.

The term of Angara will be expiring in June 2025.