Photo Release

Zubiri bangs gavel to end 2024 budget debates: Minutes before 5:00 in the morning Tuesday, November 21, 2022, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri bangs the gavel to mark the end of the period of interpellations and debates on House Bill No. 8980 or the proposed 2024 national budget amounting to P5.768 trillion. Aside from Zubiri, 18 other senators remained in the session hall to deliberate on the proposed budgets of 21 agencies, including the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Tourism, and National Defense, Commission on Elections, Commission on Audit, Optical Media Board, Commission on Human Rights and Congress of the Philippines. Senators who stayed until morning were Senate President Pro-tempore Loren Legarda, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Deputy Majority Leaders Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito and Mark Villar, Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Pia and Alan Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Win Gatchalian, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Robinhood Padilla, Grace Poe, Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., Francis “Tol” Tolentino, as well as Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III and Senator Cynthia Villar who were both not in the photo. (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)