NEOPHYTE Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was named yesterday as chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee, which is tasked to investigate wrongdoings in government, as senators started the reorganization of the upper chamber.
Marcoleta, a former party-list representative, was also picked to head the Committee on Trade and Industry.
Another former member of the House of Representatives, Sen. Camille Villar, was named chairperson of the Committee on Environment, which was previously headed by her mother, former senator Cynthia Villar.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo, also an ex-congressman, will be the chairman of the Committees on Games and Amusement, and Social Services.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan, whose campaign advocacy focused on food security, was named chairman of the Committee on Agriculture; while Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino, who promised to improve the education sector, will be the head of the Committee on Basic Education.
The Committee on Finance, which will lead the deliberations on the annual national budget, will be headed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.
Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano will lead four panels: the Committees on Accounts, Higher Education, Justice and Human Rights and Science and Technology.
His sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, was named chairwoman of three committees: Energy, Sustainable Development and Ways and Means.
Sen. Imee Marcos will also head three panels, which are the Committees on Foreign Relations, Labor and Employment, and Cooperatives.
Three panels will also be chaired by Sen. Robin Padilla, namely the Committees on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, Public Information and Mass Media, and Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs.
Sen. Christopher Go was retained as chairman of the Committee on Health and Demography and was also elected to head the Committees on Sports and Youth.
Senators Joseph Victor Ejercito and Raffy Tulfo each got two committees. Ejercito will be the chairman of the Committees on Local Government and Tourism, while Raffy Tulfo will head the Committees on Migrant Workers and Public Services.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada will continue to be the chairman of the Committee on National Defense, while Sen. Ronald dela Rosa was retained as chairperson of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, and Sen. Mark Villar was reelected as chairman of the Committee on Public Works.
Senators have yet to elect the other chairpersons of the other committees.
By tradition, members of the minority bloc – which include Senators Vicente Sotto III, Panfilo Lacson, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Loren Legarda and Risa Hontiveros – will not get any committee chairmanship.
