House Elects Deputy Minority Leaders and Committee Chairs
In a recent session, the House of Representatives elected key officials, including Deputy Minority Leaders and committee chairs, marking a significant step in the 20th Congress. Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice was chosen as Senior Deputy Minority Leader, while former senator and now Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima secured a position as one of the Deputy Minority Leaders. These appointments highlight the growing influence of minority members in critical legislative roles.
During the session, Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos formally recognized Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, who then proceeded to appoint fellow minority members to vital committee posts. Libanan nominated Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon as chairperson of the House committee on public accounts and 4Ps party-list Rep. JC Abalos as head of the committee on ethics and privileges. These committees play essential roles: the public accounts panel audits government agencies’ performance, while the ethics and privileges committee oversees the conduct and immunity of House members.
Key Committee Roles Assigned to Minority Members
Traditionally, the committees on public accounts and ethics and privileges are led by minority members to ensure checks and balances within the House. Ridon and Abalos’s appointments continue this practice, with Ridon succeeding former Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, who could not run due to term limits. Following these moves, Erice and De Lima were elected to their respective Deputy Minority Leader positions.
Other Deputy Minority Leaders include:
– Philreca party-list Rep. Presley de Jesus
– APEC party-list Rep. Sergio Dagooc
– Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao
– Samar 1st District Rep. Stephen James Tan
– Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña
– ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio
– Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus Manuel Suntay
– Pusong Pinoy party-list Rep. Jernie Jett Nisay
– Samar 2nd District Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan
– Albay 1st District Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman
Assistant Minority Leaders and Additional Committee Chairs
Assistant Minority Leaders appointed include Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co, Rep. Christopher James Tan, Akbayan party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno, BH party-list Rep. Robert Nazal, Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Niko Raul Daza, GP party-list Rep. Jan Rurik Padiernos, Bukidnon 3rd District Rep. Audrey Kay Zubiri, and 4K party-list Rep. Iries Marie Montes.
Meanwhile, Majority Leader Marcos appointed several lawmakers as committee heads:
– Aklan 2nd District Rep. Florencio Miraflores (local government)
– Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario (social services)
– Rizal 3rd District Rep. Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. (flagship programs and projects)
– Bohol 3rd District Rep. Kristine Alexie Tutor (globalization and WTO)
– Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco (nuclear energy)
– Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Alexander Pimentel (strategic intelligence)
– Agusan del Sur 1st District Rep. Alfelito Bascug (persons with disabilities)
– Bataan 3rd District Rep. Maria Angela Garcia (West Philippine Sea)
Despite these appointments, several standing House committees remain without chairpersons. These include agrarian reform, disaster resilience, ecology, government enterprises and privatization, health, indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples, Mindanao affairs, Muslim affairs, overseas workers affairs, people’s participation, population and family relations, poverty alleviation, senior citizens, suffrage and electoral reforms, sustainable development goals, veterans affairs and welfare, Visayas development, welfare of children, and women and gender equality.
Appropriations Committee and Budget Outlook
On Tuesday, the House named its first batch of committee chairs, including Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing as chairperson of the House committee on appropriations. Her role comes at a crucial time, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recently cautioned lawmakers during his fourth State of the Nation Address. He emphasized that he would reject any national budget proposals misaligned with the administration’s programs, even if it means reverting to a reenacted budget.
This development underscores the importance of the appropriations committee and its alignment with the government’s priorities moving forward.
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