A new set of committee chairmanships and leadership positions in the Senate was elected on Wednesday, June 17, under the leadership of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.
The powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will be chaired by Senator Erwin Tulfo, with Senators Francis Pangilinan and Panfilo Lacson serving as vice chairs.
Its membership will include all majority senators except Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Senator Tulfo also secured chairmanships in several other committees, including Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, as well as Energy.
Pangilinan likewise holds multiple key posts, chairing the Committees on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, and Justice and Human Rights.
He is also automatically designated as a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).
Lacson chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino was elected chair of the Committees on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, and Basic Education, Science and Technology, while also serving as a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).
He is vice chair of the Committees on Ways and Means, Justice and Human Rights, and National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation.
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito was designated chair of the Finance and Local Government Committees, and vice chair of several panels, including Energy, Agriculture, Health and Demography, and National Defense and Security.
He was also named Senior Deputy Majority Leader.
Senator Risa Hontiveros retained leadership of the Health and Demography Committee and the Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality Committee.
Other key chairmanships include Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who will lead the Foreign Relations and Rules Committees, while Senator Vicente Sotto III heads both the National Defense and Security Committee and the Ethics and Privileges Committee.
Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid will chair the Games and Amusement Committee, and Senator Raffy Tulfo will lead the Public Services and Migrant Workers Committees.
Senator Joel Villanueva takes charge of the Labor and Higher Education Committees, while also serving as Deputy Majority Leader and vice chair of the Migrant Workers Committee.
