MOMENT: Gatchalian declares Senate quorum with 13 senators present upon Villanueva arrival — ANC

[0:00] Congress. Let's now shift our focus to the special session happening at the Senate. [0:07] Prayer. Amen. The Secretary will please call the roll. [0:50] Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I move that we proceed with the election of the Senate President of the Philippines. I so move. [1:20] Is there any objection? Hearing none, the election of the Senate President is now in order. [1:25] Mr. President, I move to, if I may be able to be recognized, to nominate our Senate President. [1:32] Yes, we recognize the majority leader. [1:34] Mr. President, I rise today to nominate Senate President Pro Temp Sherwin Gatchalian as the President of the Senate of the Philippines. [1:42] Throughout his public service career as a member of the House of Representatives, as mayor of Valenzuela City, and as senator, he has consistently proven his competence, his effective leadership, and his unparalleled work ethic. [1:57] Siya nga po palagi ang nagsasara ng Senado, staying late in his office even after adjournment. [2:02] As a matter of fact, Mr. President, I hear complaints from your staff that hindi na po sila nakaka-uwi ng disenting oras dahil overworked daw sila. [2:17] Overworked. [2:18] At palagi nilang tinatanong sa akin, kailan ko daw siyang mahanap ng girlfriend para makauwi daw ng mas maaga. [2:25] Kaya, Mr. President, ikaw nga po daw ang sinasabi niya nagsasara ng Senado na wala na pong staff, ikaw na lang po naiiwan. [2:38] And that just shows your dedication, Mr. President, on how hardworking you are in preparing for the days ahead. [2:46] He has ably led some of our most demanding and time-consuming and consequential committees, namely the Committee on Energy, the Committee on Economic Affairs, [2:55] the Committee on Basic Education, and most notably, the Committee on Finance. [3:01] As finance chair, he had navigated the very challenging period in the wake of flood control scams coming into light. [3:09] But he led the Finance Committee with great resolve, spearheading unprecedented initiatives to ensure accountability and transparency in the national budget. [3:18] I believe that this last budget, my dear colleagues, was one of the most transparent in recent history. [3:28] As a matter of fact, whatever projects that we wanted to insert or amend into the budget, [3:34] we had to come up with voluminous requirements and documents coming from the agencies themselves and the receiving bodies like the LGUs. [3:43] And that was the request, not just the request, it was the demand of then finance chair, Winga Chelyan. [3:51] He's the leader that the Senate needs in this time of division and disarray. [3:55] And he has done this before. [3:57] I know he'll be able to rise above the fray and lead us back to our principal function, which is to attend to the work of legislation. [4:05] I have every confidence that a Senate president, he'll be able to set the institution back on the right path, guided by the highest standards of service, integrity, and morality. [4:17] To my colleagues, I plead, let us elect Senate President Gachelyan and let us get back to our work in this hallowed institution. [4:29] Maraming salamat po, Mr. President. [4:30] And maybe we don't need to put it to a vote, Mr. President. [4:36] Maybe we can do it by acclamation, Mr. President. [4:39] A's and A's would be fine. [4:41] I so vote, Mr. President. [4:44] And I move to close. [4:45] There are no other nominees for Senate President. [4:50] I move to close the period of nomination. [4:51] Any objection? [4:52] Hearing none, the nominations are closed. [4:56] Therefore, Mr. President, we'd like to congratulate. [4:58] As you said, to vote as an acclamation. [5:07] All those in favor of Senator Shervin Gachelyan, a Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines, say aye. [5:13] Aye. [5:15] All those against, say nay. [5:18] The ayes have it. [5:19] Senator Shervin Gachelyan is declared Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines. [5:27] May we ask Senator Gachelyan to, before that, Senator Francis Panglinan is recognized. [5:33] Yes, just for the record that the vote having a quorum is unanimous, Mr. President, for the record. [5:39] Thank you. We place that on record.