LIST: Senate Committee Chairmanships of the 20th Congress

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has officially decided the committee chairmanships for the 20th Congress, with several majority lawmakers getting their desired positions.

Most notably, Sens. Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, both criticized for joining the majority, secured their desired committee chairmanships. Aquino now leads the Committee on Basic Education, while Pangilinan chairs the Committee on Agriculture, a post long held by former senator Cynthia Villar.

However, unlike their fellow senators in the majority, these were the only chairships they were granted. Most of the other majority senators had multiple committees.

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta chairs the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee, which is mandated to investigate allegations of government corruption. He is also known as an ally of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is currently facing such allegations.

Other notable developments in chairmanships include Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian becoming the Chair of the Finance Committee. This is a key position, as the chair of this committee would be tasked with overseeing budget deliberations.

Neophyte senator Camille Villar has been assigned as chair of the Committee on Environment.

Several majority senators retained their committee chairmanships from the previous Congress, including Sen. Imee Marcos as chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Sen. Raffy Tulfo as chair of the Committee on Migrant Workers, and Sen. Mark Villar as chair of the Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises.

Meanwhile, senators from the five-member minority bloc were elected to lead Senate committees during the plenary session on Wednesday, July 30. Three of them, returning members from the 19th Congress, retained their previous chairmanships.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros continues to head the Committee on Women and Children, while Sen. Loren Legarda remains chair of the Committee on Culture and the Arts. Sen. Miguel Zubiri also keeps his post as chair of the Committee on Economic Affairs.

Sen. Ping Lacson, who returned to the Senate this Congress, was elected chair of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation.

Here is the complete list of committees for the majority senators:

Blue Ribbon Committee – Sen. Rodante Marcoleta
Accounts Committee – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform Committee – Sen. Kiko Pangilinan
Basic Education Committee – Sen. Bam Aquino
Constitutional Amendments Committee – Sen. Robin Padilla
Cooperatives Committee – Sen. Imee Marcos
Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs Committee – Sen. Robin Padilla
Energy Committee – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee – Sen. Camille Villar
Finance Committee – Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian
Foreign Relations Committee – Sen. Imee Marcos
Games and Amusements Committee – Sen. Erwin Tulfo
Health and Demography Committee – Sen. Bong Go
Higher, Technical and Vocational Education Committee – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
Labor Committee – Sen. Imee Marcos
Justice and Human Rights Committee – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
Local Government Committee – Sen. JV Ejercito
Migrant Workers Committee – Sen. Raffy Tulfo
National Defense Committee – Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
Public Information and Mass Media Committee – Sen. Robin Padilla
Public Order and Dangerous Drugs – Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa
Public Services – Sen. Raffy Tulfo
Public Works Committee – Sen. Mark Villar
Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Dev’t Committee – Sen. Erwin Tulfo
Sports Committee – Sen. Bong Go
Sustainable Dev’t Goals Committee – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Tourism Committee – Sen. JV Ejercito
Trade Commerce and Entrepreneurship – Sen. Rodante Marcoleta
Science and Technology – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
Ways and Means – Sen. Pia Cayetano
Youth – Sen. Bong Go
Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation – Sen. Bato dela Rosa
Government Corporations and Public Enterprises – Sen. Mark Villar