Zubiri, Romualdez tackle legislative agenda, SONA with BBM

LEGISLATIVE COURTESY CALL. A contingent of senators and lawmakers meets with incoming President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. to discuss his administration’s legislative agenda as well as plans for his State-of-the-Nation Address at the BBM headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday (May 31, 2022). The lawmakers’ visit came a day after Marcos received ambassadors from Singapore, United Kingdom, France, and European Union during separate courtesy calls at BBM headquarters in Mandaluyong City last Monday (Photo: Senator Migz Zubiri/Facebook)

MANILA – Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Tuesday led the contingent of lawmakers from both Houses of Congress, in discussing legislative agenda with incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during a meeting in his headquarters in Mandaluyong City.

During the courtesy call, Zubiri who is rumored to be vying for the top Senate post led the senators in discussing legislative plans for the next six years of the Marcos administration while Romualdez who is poised to become the next Speaker presented programs on the part of the House.

The visit came after Zubiri was quoted in a report as saying that Marcos has already expressed his desire for congressional leaders to immediately “shape up” the legislative agenda for the next Congress.

“In my discussion with our incoming president, President-elect Bongbong Marcos, he wants to shape up the legislative agenda immediately,” Zubiri said in an interview at the Senate on Monday.

“He instructed me and incoming Speaker Romualdez to sit down and discussed possible legislative agenda for the Sona [state of the nation address], discussions for the Sona,” he said.

In return, Zubiri said he committed to Marcos that he would help him whether or not he becomes the next Senate president.

“So, we have a series of meeting and we’ve been discussing how we can assist the President-elect on his legislative agenda for the 19th Congress,” he explained.

The lawmakers’ visit came a day after Marcos received ambassadors from Singapore, United Kingdom, France, and European Union during separate courtesy calls at BBM headquarters in Mandaluyong City last Monday.

This developed as Senate insiders also disclosed that there were strong indications that Zubiri is cinched to bag the Senate presidency as he has the number to muster the majority against his closest rival Sen. Cynthia Villar.

Earlier, reports also indicated that Villar who was apparently aware that Zubiri could have the number had reportedly offered a term-sharing agreement with him.

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa disclosed Tuesday that Villar has discussed with him of her willingness for a term sharing with Zubiri.

Zubiri , however, did not discuss the possibility of term-sharing during his visit to Marcos.

He was accompanied by Senators Nancy Binay, Ronald dela Rosa, JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Lito Lapid, Loren Legarda, Ralp Recto, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, and Raffy Tulfo during the visit.

Romualdez was joined on the other hand by Iloilo Rep. Janet Garin and Isabela Rep. Tonypet Albano.

Zubiri who was reelected as a senator in the recent election is inching closer to becoming the next Senate president after securing the support of the majority of the senators.

Romualdez, on the other hand, is also the sure and runaway winner as the next House Speaker for the next congress.

Observers also believed that the government will have a healthy relationship between the executive and legislative branches as the three major parts of the Philippines—Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—are well represented.