Suansing, Zamora head key House panels handling budget
Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing has been selected as chair of the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations under the 20th Congress, while Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora will head the committee on accounts.
During plenary session on Tuesday, Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, the President’s son, moved to appoint Suansing and Zamora to the two panels that are mainly in charge of the national government budget and the internal budget of the House, respectively.
The appointments took on a particular import as they came a day after President Marcos warned that he would veto the 2026 national budget if it would not fully align with the executive’s priorities as spelled out in National Expenditure Program.
The President’s warning was one of the highlights of his fourth State of the Nation Address delivered on Monday.
Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday also said the next bicameral conference meetings on the budget bill will be open to third-party observers and will be livestreamed to the public for more transparency.
Bataan Rep. Albert Garcia will serve as senior vice chair of the appropriations committee.
On Wednesday, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro was appointed chair of the committee on justice.
Luistro is one of the 11 members of the House prosecution panel formed for the currently idled impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate.
The following House members have also been given committee chairmanships as of Wednesday:
• Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo–ways and means (with Manila Rep. Ernestio Dionisio Jr. as senior vice chair)
• Manila Rep. Joel Chua–good government and public accountability
• Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores–dangerous drugs
• Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.–human rights
• Cagayan de Oro Rep. Lordan Suan–public information
• Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano–public order and safety
• Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga–agriculture and food
• Camarines Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata–aquaculture and fisheries resources
• Manila Rep. Irwin Tieng–banks and financial intermediaries
• Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo–basic education and culture
• Bukidnon Rep. Laarni Lavin Roque–civil service and professional regulation
• Cavite Rep. Aniela Bianca Tolentino–climate change
• Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez–constitutional amendments
• COOP NATCCO party list Rep. Felimon Espares–cooperatives development
• Antique Rep. Antonio Legarda Jr.—economic affairs
• Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez–energy
• Pangasinan Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas—foreign affairs
• Cavite Rep. Antonio Ferrer–games and amusements
• Tingog party list Rep. Jude Acidre–higher and technical education
• Quezon City Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar–housing
• Camarines Sur Rep. Miguel Luis Villafuerte–information and communications technology
• Pangasinan Rep. Ma. Georgina de Venecia–inter-parliamentary relations and diplomacy
• Cavite Rep. Ramon Jolo Revilla Jr.–labor and employment
• Negros Occidental Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer–legislative franchises
• Caloocan City Rep. Dean Asistio–Metro Manila development
• Occidental Mindoro Rep. Leody Tarriela–micro, small, and medium enterprises
• Caloocan Rep. Oscar Malapitan–national defense and security
• Negros Occ. Rep. Alfredo Marañon III–natural resources
• Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba–north Luzon growth quadrangle
• Surigao del Sur Rep. Romeo Momo Sr.–public works and highways
• Rizal Rep. Emigdio Tanjuatco III–revision of laws
• Masbate Rep. Wilton Kho–rural development
• Negros Occidental Rep. Julio Ledesma IV–science and technology
• Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona–tourism
• Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr.–trade and industry
• Quezon City Rep. Franz Pumaren–transportation
• Isabela Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III–youth and sports development
• Negros Occidental Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez–creative industries
Meanwhile, Cebu City Rep. Eduardo Rama was also elected deputy majority leader, and Bataan Rep. Roman Antonino III, Taguig-Pateros Rep. Ricardo Cruz Jr. and Biñan City Rep. Walfredo Dimaguila Jr. were named assistant majority leaders.
