Senior senators may get chairmanships of prime Senate commitees

MANILA, Philippines - Senator-elect Juan Edgardo Angara believes senior senators will have first crack at the chairmanships of prime committees at the Senate during the 16th Congress.

“I know there is a tight fight... We are not first priority in (the distribution of committees) because I am only a neophyte,” he said during a thanksgiving lunch in Greenhills, San Juan yesterday.

Angara said Sen. Franklin Drilon, the administration’s bet for Senate President in the next Congress, has assured him of getting “good committees” but nothing particular has been committed to him.

“I told him if he is running I will vote for him,” he said.

When asked about reports that siblings Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano are eyeing the Senate pro-tempore and majority leader posts, Angara said he thinks the two are up to the task.

“They are both senior senators,” he said. “They are qualified for the positions.”

When asked if it’s proper for siblings to hold top Senate posts, Angara said he wants to think harder on that one.

The offices of the Senate President, Senate president pro-tempore, majority and minority leaders have different and bigger budgets apart from the respective budgets of the individual senators.

Angara said he is brushing up on his studies on foreign affairs since the Senate is ratifying treaties.

Angara said he knows there are high expectations of the incoming batch, including Senators-elect Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito and Bam Aquino.

He wants to learn from the “brilliant thinkers” like Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Juan Ponce Enrile, and Drilon, he added.

Angara said education remains on top of his advocacies, but he is not keen on getting the chairmanship of the committee on education because it is a “senior committee.”

“For me, I can give way to the seniors,” he said. “I have a preference, but we cannot insist.”

Angara said he is also interested in agriculture, health and environment. He is also hoping to be included either as a member or chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, he added.

Regarding a possible seat at the Commission on Appointments (CA), Angara said he is the sole member of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino. 

Under the Constitution, a political party with at least two members are entitled to a CA seat.

Seat plan up to majority

Senator-elect JV Ejercito would accept any seating arrangement in the Senate that would be decided upon by the majority.

“It’s up to the majority. I will accept whatever seating arrangement they can agree on,” he told reporters.

He said he would have no problem sitting beside his elder brother Jinggoy Estrada.

He said the two of them, although they have been feuding, are civil to each other.

Sitting with his younger brother appeared to be a problem for Jinggoy in a recent Senate forum. – With Jess Diaz