Marilyn Cahatol

Senator Risa Hontiveros leads a Senate hearing on March 4, 2025, in Pasay City, probing the cancellation of Alice Guo’s passport. She questions officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration about Guo’s whereabouts and possible lapses in monitoring her movements. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

20250304-senate-subcommitee-hearing

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176942111405620250304-hontiveros-risa-guo-senate-hearing-MT-6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Senator Risa Hontiveros leads a Senate hearing on March 4, 2025, in Pasay City, probing the cancellation of Alice Guo’s passport. She questions officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration about Guo’s whereabouts and possible lapses in monitoring her movements. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Risa Hontiveros leads a Senate hearing on March 4, 2025, in Pasay City, probing the cancellation of Alice Guo’s passport. She questions officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration about Guo’s whereabouts and possible lapses in monitoring her movements. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros is the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People&#x27;s Participation.</p><p>Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri nominated her for the position during the plenary session on Monday, following Senator Panfilo Lacson&#x27;s announcement to give up the chairmanship.</p><p>The majority also elected to the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation Senators JV Ejercito, Hontiveros, Mark Villar, Raffy Tulfo, Bam Aquino and Sherwin Gatchalian for the majority, and Senators Bong Go and Joel Villanueva for the Minority. Go was also elected vice chair.</p><p>For the Ethics Committee, Villanueva, Go and Senator Ronald dela Rosa were elected for the minority, completing the roster of the panel tasked to probe the behavior of Senators.</p><p>Elected to the Senate panel of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures were Gatchalian, Pia Cayetano, Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Kiko Pangilinan, and Erwin Tulfo for the majority, with Go joining for the minority.</p><p>Lacson earlier said he is ready to relinquish the chairmanship of the committee to Hontiveros, citing his workload as Senate President Pro Tempore and chairperson of the Accounts Committee and the Blue Ribbon Committee. </p><p>Senate President Vicente Sotto III said there may be changes in the chairmanships of two committees, which were discussed in the first majority caucus after the Yuletide break.</p><p>&quot;Pinag-usapan din namin yung mga organizational meetings ng mga ibang committee. Nabanggit yung committee on ethics at yung mga iba pang committee na pinag-iisipan namin, kasi there might be one or two committees na baka magbago ng chairmanship. So nag-uusap-usap muna yung mga kami, yung mga members na majority,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ANTI-POLITICAL DYNASTY LAW AT LOCAL LEVEL</strong></div><p>Lacson also said senators are eyeing to pass an anti-political dynasty law at the local government level, limiting the law&#x27;s scope first to ensure its enactment.</p><p>&quot;Kasi maraming guilty eh. Ang problema, maipapasa ba? So mas mainam yung may gateway ka lang, yan lang. Then later on pwede naman i-amend yung batas, basta maipasa lang,&quot; he said. </p><p>Lacson said limiting the ban to those in the same cities or towns was proposed, while Lacson himself wants to limit it to the provincial level.</p><p>Lacson added most proposals seek a ban on members of political families until the 2nd civil degree.</p><p>&quot;Ayaw biglain kasi baka lalong hindi maipasa. Huwag natin biglain. Open muna natin na magkaroon na ng batas on political dynasty which to me is reasonable and practical,&quot; he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/23/anti-dynasty-law-now-poll-shows-filipinos-want-real-political-reform-1340">Anti-Dynasty Law now? Poll shows Filipinos want real political reform</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PRIORITY BILLS TACKLED</strong></div><p>Sotto meanwhile stressed the majority has also tackled priority bills, including the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/26/sotto-independent-people-s-commission-bill-will-be-passed-next-year-1345">Independent People&#x27;s Commission (IPC) </a>bill.</p><p>&quot;Sabi namin yung IPC, sana yung natitirang interpellators ng minority ay matapusin na as soon as possible para maipasa natin yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>He noted that there will be a hearing soon to prioritize the anti-political dynasty bill, as well as amendments to the Party-list System Act.</p><p>Meanwhile, the head of the upper chamber admitted he has no information about Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who has been absent from the Senate since the circulation of reports that the International Criminal Court has issued an <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/11/remulla-says-he-has-unofficial-copy-of-bato-s-icc-arrest-warrant-1754">arrest warrant</a> against him.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/13/icc-warrant-vs-bato-dela-rosa-remains-an-allegation-jonvic-remulla-1413">ICC warrant vs Bato Dela Rosa remains an &#x27;allegation&#x27; — DILG chief Remulla</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mQjkq-zMJOM?si=26VOzhyboeLajR1C" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Senator Risa Hontiveros is the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation.</p>

Senator Risa Hontiveros is the new chairperson of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation.

Hontiveros replaces Lacson as Senate electoral reforms chair

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Hontiveros replaces Lacson as Senate electoral reforms chair

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 26, 2026 06:15 PM PHT

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Updated January 26, 2026 06:28 PM PHT

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Panfilo Lacson

Risa Hontiveros

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Political Dynasty

Anti-political dynasty bill

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