Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Newly elected Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian addresses the media in his first press conference outlining his priorities for legislative continuity and institutional stability at the Senate of the Philippines on June 18, 2026. Gatchalian underscored his call to action, “balik trabaho na,” by emphasizing the immediate need for lawmakers to return to work and focus on pending measures, signaling a renewed push for productivity and swift action on key national legislation under his leadership. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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SENATE PRESIDENT SHERWIN GATCHALIAN

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781799955101MarcosEconomySummit.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks as he and Russian President deliver press statements following the Russia-ASEAN summit in the Russian city of Kazan on June 18, 2026. Alexander Nemenov / POOL / AFP</div>KAZAN, Russia — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday expressed optimism that the election of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President would finally help the legislative chamber to “finally proceed with the normal conduct of governance.”The President gave the statement a day after Gatchalian’s bloc mustered sufficient numbers to formally elect him as Senate President after weeks of a power struggle with former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano.“That is exactly what we have all been hoping for: that things become more orderly, na maging mas maayos ang takbo ng Senado,” Marcos told reporters here.“Sana naman sa paglagay kay Sen. Sherwin bilang Senate President ay mabalik naman tayo sa normal na pagpapatakbo ng Senado, and that they can take care of the business of government, the business of legislation,” he said.Gatchalian was elected during the special session, which Marcos earlier authorized for the Senate to make up for its missed sessions due to Cayetano and his allies’ absence following the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada over the non-bailable charge of plunder.Meantime, Marcos said that he has no qualms over suggestions that lawyer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero should sit as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court that would tackle Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.“The reason that the impeachment trial [last year] came to a stop because of a Supreme Court decision,” the President said when asked to comment on criticisms on Escudero’s handling of Duterte’s stalled impeachment proceedings last year.“I will suport whoever the Senate chooses as long s the process that they untertook in making the choice is legal, unconstitutional… to make sure thsat things go more smoothly to move away from the chaos,” he said.The Philippine Senate descended into chaos last month after fugitive Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa appeared in the chamber after months of hiding to help install Cayetano to the Senate’s helm ahead of Duterte’s impeachment trial.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday expressed optimism that the election of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President would finally help the legislative chamber to “finally proceed with the normal conduct of governance.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday expressed optimism that the election of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President would finally help the legislative chamber to “finally proceed with the normal conduct of governance.”

Marcos hopes Senate will be 'more orderly’ with Gatchalian as Senate President

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Marcos hopes Senate will be 'more orderly’ with Gatchalian as Senate President

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 19, 2026 12:26 AM PHT

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Updated June 19, 2026 08:23 AM PHT

Read More:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Senate

Sherwin Gatchalian

politics

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