Sen. Mark Villar did the “lipat-bakod” in Senate
Senator Mark Villar has officially joined the Senate majority bloc, leaving the minority group led by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
The minority bloc Senators are Pia Cayetano, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, and Robin Padilla.
Villar’s transfer was formally confirmed on October 8, 2026, by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, based on a report from the Inquirer.
Following Senator Mark Villar’s transition, the 14-member majority bloc immediately elected him to two key legislative roles: Chairman of the powerful Senate Committee on Public Works, and Member of the Commission on Appointments (CA), where he replaces Zubiri.
“Mr. President, pursuant to Section 18, Article 6 of the 1987 Constitution, I move that Senator Mark Villar be elected as a member of the Commission on Appointments vice Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri. That’s myself. I’m giving way to Senator Villar, Mr. President,” Zubiri stated.
The majority leader also said, “On the part of the majority pursuant to Rule 10, Section 13 of the Rules of the Senate, I move to elect Senator Mark Villar as chairperson of the Committee on Public Works, vice Senator Vicente Soto III.” Both motions were approved on the Senate floor.
Zubiri later confirmed Villar’s decision to join the majority. “Yes, we just elected him to the CA and Public Works committee as part of the majority,” the majority leader said.
Villar joined Sotto, Zubiri, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Sens. Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Lito Lapid, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, and Joel Villanueva, in the majority bloc.
However, Sen. Camille Villar, Sen. Mark Villar’s sister, stays with the 10-member minority bloc.
Meanwhile, before Villar’s transfer to the majority bloc, he was the sole member of the minority bloc who participated in the vote to change the threshold for convicting Vice President Sara Duterte.
