Senator Mark Villar has officially aligned with the Senate majority bloc after securing key leadership posts, including a seat on the Commission on Appointments (CA) and the chairmanship of the Committee on Public Works during a plenary session.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri initiated Villar’s movement to the majority by stepping down from his own post on the powerful bicameral body.
“Mr. President, pursuant to Section 18, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, I move that Senator Mark Villar be elected as a member of the Commission on Appointments vice Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, that’s myself. I’m giving way to Sen. Villar, Mr. President,” Zubiri said on the floor.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian declared the motion approved after receiving no objections from the 17 senators present.
Zubiri subsequently moved for Villar’s election as head of the Senate Committee on Public Works, taking over the leadership role previously held by Senator Vicente Sotto III.
“On the part of the majority, pursuant to Rule 10, Section 13 of the Rules of the Senate, I move to elect Sen. Mark Villar as chairperson of the Committee on Public Works vice Sen. Vicente Sotto III,” Zubiri added, a motion that Gatchalian approved without opposition.
In the same session, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano was elected to represent the minority on the CA, taking the seat vacated by Senator Loren Legarda.