Senate names new committee chairs

The Senate continues to take shape as Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri was named one of the deputy minority leaders alongside Senator Risa Hontiveros.

“Yes, I will be one of the deputy minority leaders, and Senator Risa will be the other,” Zubiri confirmed in an interview on Tuesday.

He said Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero agreed to appoint an additional deputy minority leader to reflect the expanded minority bloc, which now has five members — more than twice its previous size.

“In the 19th Congress, there were only two in the minority — Senator Koko [Pimentel] and Senator Risa — so there was only one deputy. Now that we’re five, we requested for one more, and the Senate President agreed to amend the rules,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri joined the minority after backing Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III in his failed bid to unseat Escudero as Senate President. Escudero retained the post with 19 votes, while Sotto received five — automatically making him the new minority leader. Senators Panfilo Lacson, Loren Legarda, Hontiveros, and Zubiri complete the minority bloc.

Meanwhile, neophyte Senator Rodante Marcoleta, a known ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was elected chair of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which investigates government corruption. He takes over from Senator Pia Cayetano.

Marcoleta, part of the so-called “Duter7” bloc — along with Senators Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Robin Padilla, Imee Marcos, and siblings Camille and Mark Villar — also chairs the committees on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

Other key committee assignments include:

Alan Peter Cayetano – Accounts, Higher Education, Justice, and Science & Technology

Kiko Pangilinan – Agriculture

Bam Aquino – Basic Education

Robin Padilla – Constitutional Amendments, Cultural Communities, and Public Information

Imee Marcos – Foreign Relations, Labor, Cooperatives

Pia Cayetano – Energy, SDGs, Ways and Means

Camille Villar – Environment

Win Gatchalian – Finance

Erwin Tulfo – Games & Amusement, Social Justice

Bong Go – Health, Sports, Youth

JV Ejercito – Local Government, Tourism

Raffy Tulfo – Migrant Workers, Public Services

Jinggoy Estrada – National Defense

Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa – Public Order

Mark Villar – Public Works