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Advocates Philippines
Sotto Elected New Senate President
Photo credit: Senate PH
In a dramatic change of leadership, former Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III was elected as the new Senate President on Monday, September 8, 2025. The election came after the chamber declared the top post vacant.
The move marks Sotto's return to the position he previously held from 2018 to 2022. The change in leadership also saw other key positions filled. Senator Panfilo Lacson was elected Senate President Pro Tempore, succeeding Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, while Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri was named the new Senate Majority Leader.
In his acceptance speech, Sotto expressed his gratitude to his colleagues for their trust and emphasized a platform of transparency, accountability, and collaborative governance. He pointed to past legislative achievements under his previous term, such as budget reforms and the institutionalization of free tertiary education, as examples of the type of principled leadership he intends to bring.
Sotto also spoke directly to a public concern, saying, "Mr. President, corruption is now perceived by our people to be in the whole of government. But with the political will of those in position and together with the vigilance and clamor from the public, we can fight this and bring transparency and true accountability that our nation deserves."
He concluded his remarks with a message of collegiality, stating, "You have gifted me with the honor of being your Senate president the second time around… I did not become your superior. I am simply a presider of your session. I am your listener, your advisor if you so desire.”
The move marks Sotto's return to the position he previously held from 2018 to 2022. The change in leadership also saw other key positions filled. Senator Panfilo Lacson was elected Senate President Pro Tempore, succeeding Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, while Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri was named the new Senate Majority Leader.
In his acceptance speech, Sotto expressed his gratitude to his colleagues for their trust and emphasized a platform of transparency, accountability, and collaborative governance. He pointed to past legislative achievements under his previous term, such as budget reforms and the institutionalization of free tertiary education, as examples of the type of principled leadership he intends to bring.
Sotto also spoke directly to a public concern, saying, "Mr. President, corruption is now perceived by our people to be in the whole of government. But with the political will of those in position and together with the vigilance and clamor from the public, we can fight this and bring transparency and true accountability that our nation deserves."
He concluded his remarks with a message of collegiality, stating, "You have gifted me with the honor of being your Senate president the second time around… I did not become your superior. I am simply a presider of your session. I am your listener, your advisor if you so desire.”
Sep 8, 2025
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