Politics · Philippines Bureau
Senate panel may reassign Legarda's agencies amid medical leave
The Senate finance committee is prepared to reassign agencies under Sen. Loren Legarda's oversight to other vice chairpersons should she remain on extended medical leave throughout the budget hearings, according to panel chair Sen. JV Ejercito.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Senate finance committee stands ready to redistribute oversight responsibilities if Sen. Loren Legarda's medical leave extends beyond the current budget hearing period, panel chairperson Sen. JV Ejercito announced Tuesday.
Ejercito said the committee had already briefed Legarda on her assigned agencies prior to her health-related absence. The move would ensure continuity in the committee's work during the critical budget deliberation phase, a process requiring consistent attendance and engagement from all designated supervisors.
The potential reassignment reflects operational concerns within the finance committee as it manages the complex task of reviewing and approving national budget allocations. Committee members would need sufficient oversight capacity to properly scrutinize agency funding requests and performance metrics during hearings.
Legarda, a senior senator and committee member, has been a fixture in Senate budget discussions for multiple years. No specific timeline was provided regarding the duration of her medical leave or when a final decision on reassignments might be made.