SENATOR Mark Villar has officially shifted allegiance, joining the 13-member majority bloc in the Senate and reclaiming his influential position as chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Works.
Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed the development during the plenary session on Thursday, October 8, following motions to restructure key legislative panels.
Under the new arrangement, Villar replaces Senator Tito Sotto as head of the public works committee.
Additionally, Villar was elected as a member of the prestigious Commission on Appointments (CA), taking over the seat voluntarily relinquished by Zubiri, who stepped down to give way to his colleague.
“Mr. President, pursuant to Section 18, Article 6 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,” Zubiri stated on the floor, noting his decision to yield his post.
Both motions were swiftly approved by the chamber.
With Villar’s integration, the Senate majority bloc expands to 14 members, which includes Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Zubiri, Sotto, and lawmakers such as Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, and Joel Villanueva.
Interestingly, political alignments run distinct paths within the Villar family.
While Mark has transitioned to the majority, his sister, Senator Camille Villar, remains with the 10-member minority bloc led by Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano was also recently elected to the Commission on Appointments, replacing Senator Loren Legarda.
Mark Villar’s switch to the majority comes on the heels of notable political maneuvering, including his recent divergence from the minority during high-profile Senate deliberations.
The strategic realignment places the returning public works chair back at the center of key legislative committees as the chamber navigates its current agenda.