THE Senate adopted on Wednesday, June 2, 2022, a resolution electing outgoing Senate Majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri as Senate President Pro Tempore.
The resolution, which was introduced by Senate Minority leader Franklin Drilon, will take effect on June 29, a day before Senate President Vicente Sotto III formally steps down from office.
The Senate said the move is to allow the institution to fully discharge its administrative functions without interruption.
“So it is really an officer-in-charge post and we will subject ourselves again to an election once we come back on the last Monday of July,” said Zubiri.
On Wednesday morning, June 1, Senator Cynthia Villar said she is no longer gunning for the Senate President post and will instead support Zubiri.
This came after Zubiri’s meeting with incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday evening, May 30, where they reportedly discussed the incoming legislative agenda of the upcoming administration.
Zubiri reportedly got the votes of 19 of his fellow senators, although it will remain as unofficial until the actual voting in the incoming 19th Congress.
Zubiri also announced the committee chairmanship for the 19th Congress.
Senators Robin Padilla will be the chairman of the committee on constitutional amendments; Sherwin Gatchalian on basic education and ways and means; Juan Edgardo Angara, committee on finance; Francis Tolentino, committee public accountability or blue ribbon; Nancy Binay, committee on tourism; Imee Marcos, foreign relations; Raffy Tulfo, energy; Christopher Go, sports and health; Ramon Revilla Jr., public works; Grace Poe, public services and banks; Francis Escudero, justice; Manuel Lapid, games; JV Ejercito, local government and higher education; and Risa Hontiveros on Women and Children.
The labor committee will be split into two -- for domestic labor, to be headed by Senator-elect Jinggoy Estrada, and for OFW concerns, to be headed also by Tulfo. (SunStar Philippines)