Senate elects Chiz Escudero as new Senate President; Cayetano is new Committee on Accounts chair

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is the new chair of the Senate Committee on Accounts following a revamp of the Senate in Monday's session that saw Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero elected as the new Senate President.

It was Cayetano who nominated Escudero to the Senate leadership after Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri resigned as Senate President.

"With all humility but with pride, I nominate someone I respect, admire, and look forward to being our leader and being able to contribute and do my part under his leadership. I respectfully and humbly nominate Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero as Senate President," Cayetano motioned at the session floor on May 20, 2024.

"We have a very passionate leader and a very prepared leader kung magkakaisa tayo, at sana po ay magkaisa tayo," he told his colleagues.

Cayetano, Escudero, and Zubiri all first met in 1998 as colleagues at the 11th Congress of the House of Representatives. This is why at the floor, Cayetano took time to honor both of them as the incoming and outgoing leaders, respectively.

"In 1998, with pride as the youngest member of the 11th Congress, I walked into the Batasang Pambansa at a historic moment where the first batch elected under the 1987 constitution graduated in the first batch where neophytes took the office. That's where I met Miguel Zubiri and where I met Chiz Escudero," Cayetano said.

He honored Zubiri as well for his strong leadership since July 2022.

"On behalf of everyone, Senate President Zubiri, maraming maraming salamat po! We all have gratitude in our heart for the service that you have given. We can all give him a hand!" the independent senator said, to which the chamber responded in applause for Zubiri.

With Escudero's election, changes were made in the leadership team as well with the resignations of Senator Joel Villanueva resigned as Majority Leader, and Senator Loren Legarda as Senate Pro-Tempore.

Major committees such as Finance and Accounts were deemed vacant as well with the resignation of Senators Sonny Angara and Nancy Binay.

Replacing them are Senators Francis Tolentino as Majority Leader, Jinggoy Estrada as Senate Pro-Tempore, Grace Poe as Chairperson of the Committee on Finance, and Alan Peter Cayetano as Chairperson of the Committee on Accounts.

Chiz Escudero inihalal na bagong Senate President; Cayetano ang bagong Committee on Accounts chair

Si Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ang bagong Chair ng Senate Committee on Accounts kasunod ng mga pagbabago sa pamumuno ng Senado nitong Lunes kung saan nahalal si Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero bilang bagong Senate President.

Si Cayetano ang nag-nominate kay Escudero sa pamunuan ng Senado matapos magbitiw si Senador Juan Miguel Zubiri bilang Senate President.

"With all humility but with pride, I nominate someone I respect, admire, and look forward to being our leader and being able to contribute and do my part under his leadership. I respectfully and humbly nominate Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero as Senate President," wika ng senador sa session floor nitong May 20, 2024.

"We have a very passionate leader and a very prepared leader kung magkakaisa tayo, at sana po ay magkaisa tayo," dagdag niya.

Unang nagkakilala sina Cayetano, Escudero, at Zubiri noong 1998 bilang mga baguhang mambabatas ng 11th Congress ng House of Representatives. Ito ang dahilan na sa session floor, naglaan ng panahon si Cayetano para parangalan silang dalawa bilang mga papasok at papalabas na mga lider ng Senado.

"In 1998, with pride as the youngest member of the 11th Congress, I walked into the Batasang Pambansa at a historic moment where the first batch elected under the 1987 constitution graduated in the first batch where neophytes took the office. That's where I met Miguel Zubiri and where I met Chiz Escudero," sabi ni Cayetano.

Pinuri rin niya si Zubiri para sa kanyang matapang na pamumuno sa Senado mula July 2022.

"On behalf of everyone, Senate President Zubiri, maraming maraming salamat po! We all have gratitude in our heart for the service that you have given. We can all give him a hand!" wika ng independent senator, na sinalubong ng masigabong palakpakan para kay Zubiri.

Sa paghalal kay Escudero, nagkaroon din ng mga pagbabago sa leadership team sa pagbibitiw sa position nina Senador Joel Villanueva bilang Majority Leader, at Senador Loren Legarda bilang Senate President Pro-Tempore.

Itinuring din na bakante ang mga malalaking komite tulad ng Finance at Accounts sa pagbibitiw nina Senador Sonny Angara at Nancy Binay.

Pumalit sa kanila sina Senador Francis Tolentino bilang Majority Leader, Jinggoy Estrada bilang Senate President Pro-Tempore, Grace Poe bilang Chairperson ng Committee on Finance, at Alan Peter Cayetano bilang Chairperson ng Committee on Accounts.