MANILA. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian was elected as the Senate President pro-tempore and acting Senate President before the session adjourned sine die on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Gatchalian assumed the position after Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, a member of the majority bloc led by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, attended the plenary session following a three-day boycott. Gatchalian replaced Senator Loren Legarda.
The presence of 11 senators from the minority bloc and Escudero provided the necessary quorum, while the other members of the majority bloc remained absent.
During the session, several senators were appointed to committee chairmanships: Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri took over the Committee on Rules and Committee on Foreign Relations; Senator JV Ejercito headed the Committee on Finance; Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III led the Committee on National Defense; Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson chaired the Committee on Public Order and Accounts; Senator Erwin Tulfo assumed leadership of the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigation and the Committee on Social Welfare and Rural Development; Senator Raffy Tulfo chaired the Committee on Public Services; Senator Bam Aquino led the Committee on Basic Education; Senator Francis Pangilinan took the Committee on Agriculture; Senator Risa Hontiveros headed the Committee on Health; Senator Lito Lapid chaired the Committee on Games and Amusements; and Senator Escudero led the Committee on Housing.
The first regular session of the 20th Congress of the Philippines on the part of the Senate adjourned sine die. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
