Headline
Escudero is new Senate President
NEW LEADER. Senate President Francis Escudero (center) takes his oath as Senate President before Senator Mark Villar, the youngest in the chamber, during the plenary session on Monday (May 20, 2024). To his right is his wife, actress Heart Evangelista.
(PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)
MANILA – Senator Francis Escudero is the new Senate President effective Monday, replacing Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri who tendered his resignation.
Escudero vowed to serve the interests of Filipinos, regardless of affiliations.
“Nawa’y sa bawat salitang bibigkasin natin dito, nawa’y sa bawat gawain na ating gagawin dito, palagi tayong mapaalalahanan ng mga importanteng bagay na ‘yan ng ating bandila na sumasagisag sa bansa at sa sambayanang Pilipino (May every word we speak here, may every work we do here, we will always be reminded of those important things by our flag that symbolizes the country and the Filipino people),” Escudero said.
“Maraming salamat pong muli sa tiwala at nakahanda po akong pagsilbihan kayo sa anumang makakaya natin habang sabay-sabay nating pinagsisilbihan ang bansa at ang sambayanang Pilipino (Thank you very much again for the trust and I am ready to serve you in whatever way I can as we serve the country and the Filipino people together),” he added.
Escudero designated Senator Jinggoy Estrada as Senate President Pro Tempore; Senator Francis Tolentino as Committee on Rules chairperson and Majority Floor Leader; and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano as chairperson of the Committee on Accounts.
Senators Loren Legarda (Senate President Pro Tempore), Joel Villanueva (Majority Leader) and Senators Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara and JV Ejercito likewise gave up their positions and committee chairmanships.
In a press conference after the regular session, Escudero emphasized that the fate of any Senate leadership lies on the trust and confidence of the majority of senators.
He will discuss with the new leadership the priority measures that need to be further scrutinized and approved.
“Titingnan muna namin kung ano ‘yung mga nakabinbin dahil dalawang araw na lang tayo. Wala kami pwedeng simulan na matatapos namin bago kami mag-adjourn sa loob ng dalawang araw.
So, uunahin namin ‘yung ika nga ni Senate President Zubiri, na-itanim na pwede ng matapos ngayon (We will first look at what is pending because we only have two days left. There is nothing we will start that we can finish before we adjourn in two days. So, we will prioritize what [former] Senate President Zubiri said have been planted and can be finished now’),” Escudero said.
As for the proposed charter changes, Escudero said he remains against any push to amend the 1987 Constitution.
