LIVE UPDATES: Congress convenes special session (June 17, 2026)

The Senate on Wednesday elected new chairpersons, vice chairpersons, and members for some permanent committees, following another change in leadership in the chamber.
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During the special session, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri moved for the election of the chairpersons for the following panels:

    Committee on Basic Education: Sen. Bam Aquino
    Committee on Trade Commerce and Entrepreneurship: Sen. Bam Aquino
    Committee on Science and Technology: Sen. Bam Aquino
    Committee on Finance: Sen. JV Ejercito
    Committee on Local Government: Sen. JV Ejercito
    Committee on Health and Demography: Sen. Risa Hontiveros
    Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality: Sen. Risa Hontiveros
    Committee on Ways and Means: Sen. Ping Lacson
    Committee on Games and Amusement: Sen. Lito Lapid
    Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes: Sen. Francis Pangilinan
    Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform: Sen. Francis Pangilinan
    Committee on Justice and Human Rights: Sen. Francis Pangilinan
    Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation: Sen. Tito Sotto
    Committee on Ethics and Privileges: Sen. Tito Sotto
    Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon): Sen. Erwin Tulfo
    Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development: Sen. Erwin Tulfo
    Committee on Energy: Sen. Erwin Tulfo
    Committee on Public Services: Sen. Raffy Tulfo
    Committee on Migrant Workers: Sen. Raffy Tulfo
    Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development: Sen. Joel Villanueva
    Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education: Sen. Joel Villanueva
    Committee on Foreign Relations: Sen. Migz Zubiri
    Committee on Rules: Sen. Migz Zubiri

Zubiri noted that the chairpersons of some of the committees were already elected during the session on June 3.

The following senators were likewise elected as members of the powerful Commission on Appointments: Lacson, Zubiri, Villanueva, Hontiveros, Sotto, Raffy Tulfo, and Ejercito.
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Meanwhile, Aquino, Pangilinan, Lapid, and Escudero were named members of the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

During the special session, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian was formally elected as the new Senate president, settling the two-week leadership row with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

Sotto was also elected as the Senate President Pro Tempore, while Zubiri retained his post as the Majority Leader.

Ejercito was also designated as the Senior Deputy Majority Leader, while Villanueva was named the Deputy Majority Leader. — RSJ, GMA News

The House of Representatives on Wednesday elected new members for the Commission on Appointments (CA) during a special session called by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Those elected as members of the House contingent for CA were:

•     Deputy Speaker and La Union 1st District Representative Francisco Paolo Ortega V;
•     TGP Party-list Representative Jose Teves Jr.;
•     Quezon City 3rd District Representative Franz Pumaren;
•     Quezon 1st District Representative Wilfrido Mark Enverga; and
•     Negros Occidental 6th District Representative Mercedes Alvarez.

The abovementioned took the places of Camiguin Representative Jesus Romualdo, Abono Party-list Representative Robert Raymond Estrella, Agusan del Sur 2nd District Representative Eddiebong Plaza, Cavite 5th District Representative Roy Loyola and Camarines Sur 4th District Representative Arnie Fuentebella.

Marcos called for the special session under Proclamation 1318 to urgently consider the passage of eight identified priority measures and enable the CA to convene and act on appointments made to the Cabinet, the military, and the foreign service.

Up for confirmation of the CA are the appointments of eight Cabinet members, five generals of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other appointees to diplomatic posts.

The CA is authorized to confirm or reject presidential appointments as a check and balance mechanism against appointment abuse, and protect and enhance the public interest. —Llanesca T. Panti/KG, GMA News

The Senate adopted Wednesday a resolution urging the national government to ensure the availability of adequate funding and resources for the recovery and rehabilitation of communities affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8.

Under Senate Resolution No. 447, introduced and sponsored by Senator Joel Villanueva, it was pointed out that there is an urgent need for a whole-of-government response to accelerate relief operations, restore essential services, provide adequate financial assistance to affected families, and undertake resilient and climate-adaptive reconstruction efforts.

“While existing disaster-response mechanisms provide immediate assistance during emergencies, the magnitude of the destruction and the scale of rehabilitation and reconstruction required may exceed currently available resources, thereby necessitating additional government support to ensure a timely, comprehensive, and sustainable recovery effort,” the resolution read. 

Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday said she was okay with the latest shakeup in the upper chamber following the election of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate president.

Marcos arrived at the Senate amid its ongoing special session in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to act on priority measures.

"Ah, okay," Marcos remarked when told that the new majority now had 13 members, following the transfer of Senators Joel Villanueva and Francis "Chiz" Escudero, who were former members of Cayetano's bloc.

When questioned further if she was fine that Gatchalian's bloc was now the majority, Marcos responded, "Okay, oo (that's okay, yes)."

Senator Joel Villanueva said his decision to join the new majority bloc in the Senate was motivated by a desire to focus on legislative work, a move that effectively sealed the leadership change in the chamber.

"For work," Villanueva told reporters on Wednesday when asked about his decision to transfer to the new majority.

"Trabaho na tayo," he added.

Senator Erwin Tulfo on Wednesday said the petition filed by the bloc of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano before the Supreme Court (SC) may have become moot and academic following the election of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President earlier in the day.

Tulfo, however, clarified that his statement was not intended to pre-empt the High Court’s ruling.

“Ayaw ko pangunahan ang SC. Nasa sa kanila po ‘yun. Pero ano pa ho ang hihingin niyang TRO, eh 13 na po kami ngayong araw na ito, so lalabas po moot and academic ‘yung kanyang isinampa sa SC,” Tulfo told GMA News.

(I do not want to pre-empt the SC. That is up to them. But what TRO would he still be asking for when we already have 13 members as of today? So it would appear that the petition he filed before the SC has become moot and academic.)

Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday were elected as the new vice chairpersons of the powerful Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, popularly known as the Blue Ribbon Committee.

This was formalized during the special session currently being conducted where the new Senate leadership elected heads and members of several permanent committees.

Senator Erwin Tulfo will remain as the chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee—a panel that has been investigating anomalies in government infrastructure projects. 

Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III was elected as the new Senate President Pro Tempore during Wednesday’s special session.

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson nominated Sotto for the position, which was concurred by all other senators present in the plenary.

Sotto thereafter took his oath of office as the Senate President Pro Tempore, administered by newly elected Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. Sotto previously served as Senate President, but was ousted by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.

On June 3, Gatchalian was elected Senate President Pro Tempore and was named by his bloc as acting Senate President.

Earlier, Cayetano conceded that no longer had the numbers to remain as Senate President after Senator Joel Villanueva switched sides.

The Senate convened a special session in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to act on priority measures.

The upper chamber began the special session past 9 a.m., presided over by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

Present in the plenary hall were: Senators Gatchalian, Erwin Tulfo, Ping Lacson, Lito Lapid, Chiz Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Vicente Sotto III, Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Kiko Pangilinan, Raffy Tulfo, and Joel Villanueva. — RSJ, GMA News

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday urged political supporters to remain calm and respect the rule of law as authorities brace for possible protest actions during the special session of Congress.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the police force has long prepared calibrated response measures for any eventuality, particularly around the Senate, while emphasizing that there is no need for actions that go beyond the right to peaceful assembly.

“We fully respect everyone’s freedom to express opinion and participate in a political activity, but we believe this can be done without resorting to any move that could compromise the safety of anybody,” Nartatez said in a statement.

The appeal came as Congress convened in a special session called by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. through Proclamation No. 1318 to tackle priority measures that have reached advanced stages in the legislative process.

Despite the legislative agenda, police are anticipating protest actions amid the current political climate.

According to the PNP, more than 300 personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have been deployed around the Senate, with additional forces on standby should crowd sizes increase.

Authorities have also implemented heightened security measures, including vehicle inspections and strict identification checks at entry points.

Nartatez said the PNP has strengthened coordination with both the Senate and the House of Representatives and remains focused on maintaining peace and order.

“While we remain apolitical and non-partisan, our focus remains on maintaining peace and order in society amid these political tensions,” he added. —Sherylin Untalan/KG, GMA News