MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – While the Senate leadership for the 18th Congress has been carried over from the past chamber, there are changes in committee chairmanships.

On Monday, July 22, Vicente Sotto III was reelected as Senate President via viva voce.

Miguel Zubiri kept his post too as Majority Leader; Ralph Recto, as Senate President Pro-Tempore; and Franklin Drilon, as Minority Leader.

Senators elected the chairpersons of the committees on Tuesday, July 22.

Here are the confirmed committee chairmanships for the 18th Congress:

1. Senator Juan Edgardo Angara – Finance; Youth
2. Senator Panfilo Lacson – National Defense and Security; Accounts
3. Senator Aquilino Pimentel III – Foreign Relations; Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship
4. Senator Christopher Go – Health; Sports 
5. Senator Pia Cayetano – Ways and Means; Sustainable Development
6. Senator Cynthia Villar – Agriculture and Food; Agrarian Reform; Environment and Natural Resources
7. Senator Imee Marcos – Economic Affairs; Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation
8. Senator Francis Tolentino – Local Government; Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement
9. Senator Lito Lapid – Games and Amusement
10. Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr – Public Information and Mass Media; Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation
11. Senator Manny Pacquiao – Public Works; Ethics and Privileges
12. Senator Grace Poe – Public Services; Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies
13. Senator Ronald dela Rosa – Public Order and Dangerous Drugs; Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation
14. Senator Richard Gordon – Blue Ribbon; Justice and Human Rights
15. Senator Joel Villanueva – Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development; Technical Education
16. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian – Energy; Science and Technology; Basic Education
17. Senator Nancy Binay – Tourism; Climate Change
18. Senator Francis Pangilinan – Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes
19. Senator Leila de Lima – Social Justice
20. Senator Risa Hontiveros – Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality
21. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri – Rules, Cooperatives

The final round of election for committee chairmanships was done on Wednesday, July 31.

Senate passed on Wednesday a resolution amending the rules to allow splitting the education committee into two – the basic education committee and the higher and technical education committee – as well as the creation of the committee on sustainable development.

While more committees were created, Zubiri said that the committee on rules will still be looking at the jurisidictions of each committee to possibly merge some of it into one. – Rappler.com