CA elects officers for 20th Congress

The bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday elected its officers for the 20th Congress. 

During its first plenary session, the following senators and members of the House of Representatives were elected and took their oath:

• Rep. Ramon Guico Jr.- Vice Chairperson
• Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo- Majority Floor Leader
• Sen. Risa Hontiveros- Minority Floor Leader
• Sen. Joel Villanueva- Assistant Majority Floor Leader
• Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr.- Assistant Majority Floor Leader
• Rep. Antonio "Tonypet" Albano- Assistant Minority Floor Leader
• Rep. Allan Ty- Assistant Minority Floor Leader

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, meanwhile, will serve as the ex officio chairman of the CA. 

The 25-member body also named these lawmakers as chairpersons of the following standing committees:

• Foreign Affairs- Sen. Jinggoy Estrada
• National Defense- Rep. Jose Aquino II
• Finance- Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri
• Budget and Management- Sen. Mark Villar
• Justice and Judicial and Bar Council- Sen. Rodante Marcoleta 
• Agriculture- Rep. Romeo Acop
• Public Works and Highways- Rep. Roy Loyola
• Education- Sen. Raffy Tulfo
• Labor, Employment, Social Welfare and Migrant Workers- Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr.
• Health- Sen. Bong Go
• Trade and Industry- Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla
• Tourism and Economic Development- Rep. Arnie Fuentebella
• Environment and Natural Resources- Sen. JV Ejercito
• Science and Technology- Rep. Eddiebong Plaza
• Interior and Local Government- Sen. Loren Legarda
• Constitutional Commissions and Offices- Sen. Joel Villanueva
• Transportation- Rep. Roy Loyola
• Agrarian Reforms- Sen. Risa Hontiveros
• Executive Secretary and Presidential Communications Offices of the Office of the President and the Philippine Space Agency- Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr.
• Energy- Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa
• Accounts- Rep. Antonio Albano
• Rules and Resolutions- Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo
• Ethics- Rep. Jose Aquino II
• Information and Communications Technology- Rep. Allan Ty
• Human Settlements and Urban Development- Sen. Imee Marcos

Article 6, Section 18 of the 1987 Constitution states that the CA shall consist of the President of the Senate, as ex officio Chairman, 12 senators, and 12 members of the House of Representatives, elected by each House based on proportional representation from the political parties and parties or organizations registered under the party-list system represented therein. 

The CA is mandated to approve or disapprove appointments made by the President of the Philippines, the confirmation of which is required under the Constitution.

The commission’s function “forms part of the very delicate mechanism of checks and balances established by the Constitution to ensure that the coordinate departments of the government will function in a way that will be most conducive to the public welfare,” based on its website. — VBL, GMA Integrated News