Metro Manila, Philippines — The powerful Senate finance committee, which tackles the annual budget bill, will be headed by Sen. Grace Poe in the aftermath of the leadership change.
Poe replaced Sen. Sonny Angara after a shakeup that unseated Juan Miguel Zubiri and installed Francis Escudero as Senate president. Poe was Escudero’s running mate in the 2016 presidential election.
Escudero said on Thursday, May 23, that the youth committee may be integrated with the sports committee of Sen. Bong Go.
Those who sided with Zubiri during the fateful vote were Angara, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Sherwin Gatchalian, Lorean Legarda, and Joel Villanueva
Zubiri will lead the economic affairs committee, while Legarda will take culture and the arts.
Meanwhile, Binay vacated the tourism, ethics and privileges, and accounts panels. These will be led by senators Lito Lapid, Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, and Alan Peter Cayetano, respectively.
Cayetano is also heading the committees on higher, technical, and vocational education, which Escudero previously led, as well as trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship, replacing Sen. Mark Villar.
Villar would lead the government corporations and public enterprises committee.
Binay’s sole chairmanship is for the sustainable development goals, innovation, and futures thinking committee, which was formerly led by Sen. Pia Cayetano, who is now energy committee chairperson.
Villanueva leads the labor, employment and human resources development committee, while Angara heads the justice and human rights panel.
In addition, Villar leads the committee on government corporations and public enterprises, and Sen. Imee Marcos on urban planning, housing, and resettlement.
Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo is the new chairman of the public services panel.
Marcos still holds five committee chairmanships, the highest number among her colleagues.
Other committee chairmanships were retained, including Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s public order and dangerous drugs.
His committee has been investigating alleged leaks in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that linked President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to illegal drugs.
