Senate holds special session

The Senate on Wednesday morning 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, Joel Villanueva, and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Aside from taking up a number of priority legislation, senators are expected to elect a new Senate President within the day.

This came after Senator Alan Peter Cayetano conceded the Senate presidency, noting that the “arithmetic has changed” —-an implication that the Gatchalian-led bloc has numbers for a leadership change.

Under Proclamation No. 1318, Marcos directed Congress to have a special session on June 17, 2026, to urgently consider the passage of the following priority legislative measures:

• National Center for Geriatric Health;
• Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Act;
• Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Act;
• Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA);
• Last Mile and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged and Conflict-Affected Areas (GIDA) Schools Act;
• Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act;
• Anti-Political Dynasty Law;
• Presidential Merit Scholarship Program; and
• Such other measures aimed towards strengthening social protection and uplifting the lives of the Filipino people.

— RSJ, GMA News