Pia Cayetano considering Senate blue ribbon chairmanship

Senator Pia Cayetano on Wednesday said she is considering the possibility of being the chairperson of the powerful Senate blue ribbon committee again, replacing Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.

Cayetano, a lawyer, is one of the five candidates identified by Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III to possibly be the next committee chairman, along with Senators Kiko Pangilinan, JV Ejercito, Raffy Tulfo, and Risa Hontiveros.

“Because my name was mentioned, it's my job to consider it. 24 lang naman kami and then lima lang kaming abogado (we’re only 24 senators and only five of us are lawyers). So gusto ko man o hindi (even if I want it or not), it's my job to consider it if there is a need to chair the committee on blue ribbon,” she told reporters.

“Mabigat ‘yung trabaho na ‘yan. I already have two other committees, so I will use this time na walang session to pray about it and to think about it kung ma-handle ko siya. Kasi kaya ko, wala akong doubt na kaya ko, wala akong doubt that I can do a good job, with all humility naman. But I really want…the best person for the job to handle this kasi this is a defining moment for the Filipino people,” she added.

Cayetano is currently heading the committees on Energy; Ways and Means; and Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation and Futures Thinking.

Cayetano already served as chairperson of the blue ribbon committee from January 2024 to June 2025, under the 19th Congress.

Sotto on Wednesday confirmed that Senator Erwin Tulfo is automatically the acting chairperson of the blue ribbon committee now, being its vice chairman.

Cayetano, however, noted that senators who are lawyers and who have years of experience in the Senate have an edge in leading the panel.

“For me, there are advantages of lawyers dahil of course, pinag-aralan namin ‘yun, and we do use legal principles and procedures with a suppletory effect. Pero ‘yung mga seasoned legislators like Sen. Lacson, kayang kaya naman nila y’un. Kapag baguhan, I would express lang na siguro not the same ang experience like somebody nga like Sen. Lacson or Sen. Sotto na matatagal nang andyan,” she explained.

(For me, lawyers have advantages because of course, we studied that, and we do use legal principles and procedures with a supplementary effect. But seasoned legislators like Sen. Lacson can do that. Neophyte senators may not have the experience unlike Sen. Lacson or Sen. Sotto who have been senators for a long time now.)

Regardless, she said that she has nothing against Tulfo because as the vice chairperson, he has the responsibility to continue the job of the committee chairman.

Lacson on Monday resigned as blue ribbon committee chairman, citing the dissatisfaction of other senators on the "direction" of the legislative inquiry on the alleged anomalous flood control projects for his resignation. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News