(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called on both chambers of Congress to convene for a special session, setting the stage for an end to the bitter leadership dispute in the Senate that has paralyzed its legislative work.
In Proclamation 1318, the president called on the House of Representatives and the Senate to assemble on June 17 and urgently act on priority legislation aimed at strengthening social protection, expanding access to education and health care, and providing greater support to vulnerable Filipinos amid ongoing energy challenges and natural disasters.
“The challenges confronting our people demand urgent action. Families affected by the recent earthquake in Mindanao require immediate assistance. Students need continued support to pursue their education. Our senior citizens deserve better health care. Our children must have better nutrition and vulnerable sectors need stronger protection,” he said.
“The needs of the Filipino people do not pause when Congress is not in session. The government must continue to respond, and the welfare of every Filipino must remain our highest priority,” he added.
The Palace expressed confidence that lawmakers will set aside political distractions and focus on passing measures that deliver timely and meaningful support to the Filipino people.
Section 15, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution gives the president authority to call Congress into a special session at any time to address urgent matters requiring immediate legislative action.
Priority bills
Among the bills targeted for consideration are the National Center for Geriatric Health; Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act; Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Act; Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act; Last Mile and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged and Conflict-Affected Areas Schools Act; Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act; Anti-Political Dynasty Law; and Presidential Merit Scholarship Program.
The special session will also enable the Commission on Appointments to act on pending appointments to key positions in the Cabinet, military, and foreign service while also ensuring continuity and stability across government institutions.
Political distractions
Despite a power struggle that left the Senate divided between the majority bloc led by Senate President Pro Tempore and Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and the minority bloc led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, senators said they were ready to hold a special session on June 17.
Gatchalian called on fellow senators in the Cayetano-led bloc to attend.
“I invite my colleagues to attend and take part in the proceedings as we act on measures that matter to the Filipino people,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“The Senate knows its responsibility. The Senate must continue to work, fulfill its mandate, and respond to the needs of our nation,” he added.
He said the priority bills listed by the Palace “are measures that directly affect the lives of every Filipino.” Gatchalian said the Senate will also use the special session to act on relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction assistance for the Filipinos affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Mindanao on June 8.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said his fellow senators in the majority “are ready to do our mandate, work hard and help the Senate act on urgent matters before us.” “There’s no drama, no delay, no reason not to work,” Zubiri said in Filipino, in a clear reference to the recent political turbulence aggravated by the inability of the majority bloc to get 13 votes to elect a new Senate president, and Cayetano’s refusal to give up the position even though he now heads a minority.
Cayetano triggered a leadership shakeup when he led a boycott of three consecutive Senate sessions to protest the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on plunder charges.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson posted a cryptic message on X, using a popular internet slang term for “delusional”: “Wednesday, June 17 special session: Hopefully Delulu pa more becomes no more.” Lacson on Sunday said the majority is “ready for any dirty tricks” that Cayetano might attempt during the special session.
Zubiri said the special session’s agenda is “clear and urgent, touching on health care, education funding and assistance for Filipinos in crisis, matters that can bring real help to Filipino families who need government to act with urgency and compassion.” The Commission on Appointments, he said, also has important work to do on Cabinet, military and foreign service appointments.
“We owe it to our institutions to act with diligence and fairness. We should be ready to work and ready to help move forward whatever must be acted upon for the public good,” Zubiri said.
“We will report for work and we will do our duty for the people. The Senate has always had the capacity to rise above difficult moments,” he said.
“I trust that we can approach this session with seriousness, respect for our mandate and a clear sense of responsibility to the people. We should be ready to work and ready to help move forward whatever must be acted upon for the public good,” he said.
Sen. Francis Pangilinan said the majority bloc will have a quorum to hold special session on June 17 whether or not Cayetano and his allies decide to boycott it.
The senator noted that Sen. Joel Villanueva, who belonged to the Cayetano bloc, has said he will attend the special session.
“Since we are already 12 as the new majority, we already have a quorum and if Sen. Joel will attend, that makes us 13,” Pangilinan said in English and Filipino.
“[We’re] More than enough to convene the special session whether their group attends or not,” Pangilinan said in a text message.
Cayetano refused to recognize the June 3 reorganization which materialized after his former bloc mate, Sen. Francis Escudero, switched to the bloc led by Sen. Vicente Sotto III.
The new 12-member majority bloc elected Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore and acting Senate president.
In a video message to his family in the Jesus is Lord Church, Villanueva said he was ready to attend the special session, saying the senators need to go back to work.
“In the event that we’ll have a special session, we will fulfill our sacred duty under the Constitution. We will be there,” Villanueva said in Filipino.
“As public servants it is our priority to ensure that everyone of us is working for the people,” he added.
House is ready
Speaker Faustino Dy III welcomed the president’s call for a special congressional session on June 17.
“The House of Representatives stands ready to heed the president’s call and continue advancing legislation that directly responds to the needs of our people,” Dy said in a statement.
Dy noted that all measures identified in the president’s Proclamation 1318 were already approved by the House.
“The House has already laid much of the groundwork for these priority reforms. We stand ready to work with the Senate and the executive branch to complete the legislative process and deliver meaningful benefits to the Filipino people,” Dy said.
“The work of the House does not end with the passage of bills. Our responsibility is to help ensure that these measures become law and ultimately translate into better lives, better opportunities, and a more secure future for our people,” he added.
House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos said the president’s call for a special session underscored “the urgency of legislation that expands educational opportunities, strengthens assistance programs for vulnerable sectors, improves health care services, and promotes greater social protection.” “We welcome the opportunity to continue the work already undertaken by the House and move these priority measures closer to enactment,” Representative Marcos said.
“We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate and our partners in the executive branch to complete these measures and deliver real, lasting benefits to the Filipino people,” he said.
