Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri was installed on Monday morning, July 25, as Senate President of the 19th Congress.
He leads a legislative chamber dominated by pro-administration senators. Twenty senators are part of the majority bloc while four are in the minority.
Zubiri ran under the senatorial ticket of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the May 2022 elections. He was initially slated as a “guest candidate” of the opposition ticket, but former Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo dropped him from the list after he endorsed Marcos.
Questions have been raised about its independence despite Zubiri’s promise that the legislative chamber will be independent.
“Senate’s independence is a lynchpin of its two other hallmarks – industry and innovation,” Zubiri said during his first speech as Senate President.
“This upper chamber will never be an echo chamber,” he added.
Independent Senate?
Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor from the University of the Philippines, has doubts about such promises.
“You cannot be assured. There will be claims to be the supermajority and like the last Congress, still not all bills were passed,” Atienza said.
For instance, bills such as the Death Penalty Bill, National Housing Development Bill and National Land Use Bill remained in legislative limbo despite being part of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s list of pet bills.
Because a true political party system does not exist in the Philippines, lawmakers do not play their prescribed role. Instead they make promises during the campaign and ultimately vote towards the bills they think are strong, the political science professor said.
“As in the neo-liberal policies, there will be no laws on political dynasties. Laws will focus on the current economic setup – to address the pandemic concerns and to build more infrastructure. Let us all remember that we have two Villars in the Senate,” Atienza said.
Longtime Sen. Cynthia A. Villar and her son, newcomer Sen. Mark A. Villar, are current members of the Senate. The Villar family owns one of the leading property developers and the largest homebuilders in the country.
“The senators will be voting on bills that will protect their personal, business and family interests,” Atienza added.
Other Senate positions
Reports that Zubiri was poised to become Senate President came out as early as May 30. He met with Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez following the proclamation of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on May 25.
Romualdez is Marcos’ first cousinn and is poised to serve as House Speaker.
Sen. Lorna Regina “Loren” Legarda was elected as Senate president pro tempore, while Sen. Joel Villanueva was recognized as the majority floor leader.
The four senators who did not vote for Zubiri are Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros Baraquel, and siblings Pia and Alan Cayetano.
In his first State of the Nation (SONA) address to be delivered on Monday afternoon, Marcos is expected to list down his priority bills for Congress to pass.
The senators themselves have publicized their own priority bills, including bills to review the K-12 program (Pimentel), upgrade the salary of health workers (Ejercito) and end illegal contractualization (Hontiveros and Villanueva).
Zubiri’s priority bills include measures to increase the salary of teachers and to establish specialty hospitals in the regions.
Illustration by Luigi Almuena