Floor leaders of the Senate of the Philippines

The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders (also called Senate Floor Leaders) are the two Senators of the Philippines who are elected by their respective parties or coalitions as their official leaders. They serve as the chief spokesmen of their party with regard to their business in the Senate.

Floor leaders

Majority Leader
Juan Miguel Zubiri (Independent)
Minority Leader
Franklin Drilon (Liberal Party)
Current floor leaders of the Philippine Senate

Current floor leaders

The current majority floor leader is Juan Miguel Zubiri, an independent. The current minority leader is Franklin Drilon of the Liberal Party.

History

The positions of Majority leader and Minority leader of the Senate of the Philippines are similar to the United States Senate's party leaders.

When the Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United States during the 1930s, it followed the American style of legislature. Then, upon the adoption of the 1935 Constitution, the Philippine government eventually patterned its bicameral Congress on the United States Congress.

But on June 12, 1978, when the Interim Batasang Pambansa was inaugurated as mandated by the 1973 Constitution, as the country shifted from a presidential to a parliamentary form of government, it automatically abolished the two houses of Congress. The offices of the Senate majority and minority leaders were also automatically abolished.

On July 27, 1987, five months after the EDSA Revolution that toppled the Marcos administration, the Congress resumed its session 15 years after its abolition. All offices and positions of the Senate were restored upon the resumption of the 8th Congress of the Philippines.

The first Majority leader of the Senate after its restoration was Orlando S. Mercado, while the first Minority leader of the Senate was Juan Ponce Enrile.

On July 26, 2004, Francis Pangilinan was re-elected by his party to serve as their Majority leader after he served a short term when then Senator Loren Legarda left the majority and allied with the opposition to run for Vice President against then Senator Noli De Castro in the 2004 national elections.

Majority leader of the Senate

In the modern Senate, the second in command is the Majority leader. His primary responsibility is to manage the legislative affairs and the business for the part of the majority in the chamber.

He is chosen by the majority party in the Senate to serve as their official leader in the body.

While nothing in the Rules of the Senate expressly states the powers of the Majority leader, to a great extent, he is very influential in the passage of bills.

As the traditional Chairman of the Committee on Rules, the Majority leader helps formulate, promote, negotiate and defend the majority's legislative program, particularly on the floor. By tradition also, the Senate President or any Presiding Officer gives the Majority leader priority in obtaining the floor.

He also helps in developing the calendar of the Senate and assist the Senate President with program development & policy formation and decisions.

He also has the power to exercise party discipline in consultation with other senior party leaders, with regards of voting on party policies and programs deemed to be crucial. If ever, a member of his party doesn't vote for the party's proposed measures, he can demote him/her from committee assignments leading to a reshuffle on some of the Senate committees.

Minority leader of the Senate

The minority group chooses from among themselves the Minority leader who is considered as the titular head of the minority in the Senate and often called the "shadow president".

In many past rigodons of the Senate or the so-called Senate "coups", sometimes the Minority leader becomes the President and the ousted President becomes the minority leader.

The basic duties of the Minority leader is that he becomes the spokesman for his party or group or coalition and enunciates its policies. He is expected to be alert and vigilant in defense of the minority's rights. It is his function and duty to criticize constructively the policies and programs of the majority, and to this end employ parliamentary tactics and give close attention to all proposed legislation.

The Rules of the Senate give the President pro tempore and the Majority and Minority Leaders unique privileges as all are ex-officio members of all the permanent committees of the Senate.

List

Congress/Legislature Term Majority leader Senate President Minority leader
4th Philippine Legislature 1916–19 Francisco Villanueva     Manuel L. Quezon   None
5th Philippine Legislature 1919–22 Francisco Enage  
6th Philippine Legislature 1922–25
7th Philippine Legislature 1925–28 None
8th Philippine Legislature 1928–31 Jose P. Laurel  
9th Philippine Legislature 1931–34 Benigno Aquino Sr.     Claro M. Recto
10th Philippine Legislature 1934–35 Claro M. Recto   None
1st National Assembly 1935–38 Legislature was unicameral.
2nd National Assembly 1938–41
National Assembly 1943–44
1st Commonwealth Congress 1945 Melecio Arranz     Manuel Roxas   None
2nd Commonwealth Congress 1946 Vicente Francisco     José Avelino     Carlos P. Garcia
1st Congress 1946–49
Tomas Cabili     Mariano Jesús Cuenco  
2nd Congress 1949–53
  Quintin Paredes  
  Camilo Osías  
  Eulogio Rodriguez  
  Camilo Osías  
  Jose Zulueta  
  Eulogio Rodriguez  
3rd Congress 1953–57 Cipriano Primicias     Lorenzo Tañada
4th Congress 1957–61   Ambrosio Padilla
5th Congress 1961–65   Estanislao Fernandez
Arturo Tolentino     Ferdinand Marcos    
6th Congress 1965–69 Jose Roy     Arturo Tolentino     Ambrosio Padilla
Rodolfo Guanzon
Arturo Tolentino   Gil Puyat  
7th Congress 1969–72   Gerardo Roxas
Interim Batasang Pambansa 1978–84 Legislature was unicameral.
Regular Batasang Pambansa 1984–86
8th Congress 1987–92 Orlando S. Mercado     Jovito Salonga     Juan Ponce Enrile
Teofisto Guingona, Jr.  
Alberto Romulo  
  Neptali Gonzales     Wigberto Tañada
9th Congress 1992–95
  Edgardo Angara  
10th Congress 1995–98 None
  Neptali Gonzales     Edgardo Angara
Francisco Tatad     Ernesto Maceda     Neptali Gonzales
Franklin Drilon     Neptali Gonzales     Ernesto Maceda
11th Congress 1998–2001     Marcelo Fernan     Teofisto Guingona Jr.
  Blas Ople  
Francisco Tatad     Franklin Drilon  
  Aquilino Pimentel Jr.  
12th Congress 2001–04 Loren Legarda     Franklin Drilon     Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
Aquilino Pimentel Jr.     Tito Sotto
Loren Legarda  
   
13th Congress 2004–07 Francis Pangilinan     Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
  Manuel Villar  
14th Congress 2007–10
Juan Miguel Zubiri     Juan Ponce Enrile  
15th Congress 2010–13 Tito Sotto     Alan Peter Cayetano
16th Congress 2013–16 Ralph Recto     Franklin Drilon     Juan Ponce Enrile
17th Congress 2016–19 Tito Sotto     Koko Pimentel     Ralph Recto
  Franklin Drilon
Juan Miguel Zubiri     Tito Sotto  
18th Congress 2019–present
Legend
Citizens'/NCP
Democrata Party
Independent
LDP
Lakas (original)
Lakas–Kampi/Lakas (current)
Liberal
Nacionalista
NPC
PDP-Laban
LAMMP/PMP
UNA

See also

Sources

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