THE Commission on Appointments (CA) elected its officials, chairpersons and members of various panels yesterday during its first organizational meeting in the Senate.
Rep. Ramon Guico (Pangasinan, 5th District), who heads the House of Representatives’ contingent to the CA, was elected vice chairman, while Camiguin lone district Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo was chosen as the majority leader.
Sen. Joel Villanueva and Ako Bicol party list Rep. Alfredo Garbin were elected assistant majority leaders, while Sen. Risa Hontiveros was elected minority leader, and Reps. Allan U. Ty (LPGMA party list) and Rep. Tonypet Albano (1st district, Isabela) were named assistant minority leaders.
The members also elected Sen. Jinggoy Estrada as chairman of the CA Committee on Foreign Affairs, with Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri as vice chairman, while the Committee on National Defense will be chaired by Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II, with Sen. Christopher Go as vice chairman; the Committee on Finance will be headed by Zubiri with Ty as vice chairman.
The budget committee was given to Sen. Mark Villar, with Rep. Tonypet Albano as vice chair; the Committee on Agriculture was assigned to Rep. Romeo Acop with Sen. Ronald dela Rosa as vice chair; and Rep. Roy Loyola will head the Committee on Public Works and Highways, with dela Rosa as its vice chairman.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo will head the education committee, with Loyola as vice chairman; the Committee on Labor was given to Rep. Benjie Agarao, Sen. Imee Marcos as vice chairperson; the health committee will be handled by Go, with Loyola as vice chair; and the Committee on Trade and Industry will go to Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla, with Legarda as vice chairperson.
Fuentebella was tasked to lead the Committee on Tourism, with Legarda as vice chair; the Committee on Environment to Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito with Rep. Adolf Plaza as vice chair; Committee on Interior and Local Government will be chaired by Legarda, with Yu as the vice chair; and Villanueva was elected chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Commissions, while Garin will be the vice chairman.
Loyola was elected Committee on Transportation chairman, with Sen. Raffy Tulfo as vice chairman; Garbin will lead the Committee on the Executive Secretary and Presidential Communications Office, with Sen. Raffy Tulfo as vice chair; the Committee on Energy was assigned to Dela Rosa; Committee on Accounts to Albano, who will also chair the Committee on Rules and Resolutions.
Aquino II was also elected chairman of the Committee on Rules and Resolutions, while the ethics committee will be led by Mark Villar.
The CA members also elected lawyer Joey Flaminiano as their secretary, while retired P/Brig. Gen. Nicasio Radovan was elected CA sergeant-at-arms.
Senate president Francis Escudero chairs the CA since, under the law, the sitting Senate leader is the CA ex officio chair.
