Mark Villar elected as chairman of Senate Committee on Finance

The Senate has elected Sen. Mark Villar as chairperson of the powerful Senate Committee on Finance, replacing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian.

Acting Majority Leader Sen. Joel Villanueva moved for the election of Villar as chairman of the committee that goes through the proposed general appropriations bill or the national budget.

With no objection from the plenary, Villanueva’s motion to elect Villar was approved. Senate President Pro Tempore was the presiding officer.

The Senate on Monday named new chairpersons for several permanent committees following last week’s leadership change in the chamber.

During the plenary session, Villanueva announced the following committee assignments:

• Ways and Means — Pia Cayetano
• Energy — Pia Cayetano
• Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation and Futures Thinking — Pia Cayetano
• Culture and the Arts — Loren Legarda
• Basic Education — Loren Legarda
• Health — Bong Go
• Sports — Bong Go
• National Defense and Security — Jinggoy Estrada
• Games and Amusements — Jinggoy Estrada
• Public Information and Mass Media — Robin Padilla
• Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs — Robin Padilla
• Higher, Technical and Vocational Education — Joel Villanueva
• Public Services — Rodante Marcoleta

The appointments came after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was elected Senate President on Monday last week, replacing Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.

The chamber has yet to elect a new Senate majority leader after Senator JV Ejercito declined offers from the majority bloc to take the post.

The Senate Committee on Finance is responsible for all matters related to the national government's budget, public expenditures, and public indebtedness. It primarily reviews, amends, and sponsors the proposed General Appropriations Bill to ensure funds are allocated efficiently across government agencies.

Gatchalian welcomed Villar taking the helm of the powerful committee.

"Si Mark, marami na rin siyang dinaanan ng mga iba't ibang posisyon. Galing siya sa isang business family, so naiintindihan niya ang finance," Gatchalian said.

"Humawak siya ng malaking departmento like DPWH, so naintindihan niya yung takbo ng public finance. So ako naman, nakikita ko na magiging maayos naman yung takbo ng finance committee," he said.

(Mark Villar held many positions, including their family business and other agencies such as DPWH, so he understands finance and public finance. I can see he would run the committee properly.)

"Ang Finance Committee kasi is a position of trust... 'Yan ang, for me, isa sa pinaka-powerful, kung hindi pinaka-powerful, na committee dahil hawak mo yung pera ng buong bansa. At every line, dagdagan mo lang ng 1-0, dagdagan mo lang ng dalawang 0, iba na yung ibig sabihin ng budget," he added.

(The Finance Committee is a position of trust. It is one of the most powerful committees because it manages the country's coffers. So every line, every addition, would bring great changes to the budget.) —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA News