Secretary of the Senate of the Philippines
| Secretary of the Senate of the Philippines | |
|---|---|
| Kalihim ng Senado ng Pilipinas | |
since July 25, 2022 | |
| Senate of the Philippines | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Seat | GSIS Building, Financial Center, Jose W. Diokno Boulevard, Pasay |
| Appointer | Elected by the Senate |
| Formation | October 16, 1916 |
| First holder | Felipe Buencamino Jr. |
| Deputy | Deputy Secretaries of the Senate of the Philippines |
| Salary | ₱3,341,000 per year (2023)[1] |
| Website | [2] |
The secretary of the Senate of the Philippines (Filipino: Kalihim ng Senado ng Pilipinas)[1] is an officer of the Senate of the Philippines. The secretary is an elected official among the staff of the Senate, responsible for helping the Senate president provide efficient legislative and administrative support to the offices of the senators, managing the affairs of the Senate Secretariat, inclusive of all the offices, service units, officers, and employees, acting as its central clearinghouse, and developing strategic plans and policies for the enhancement of the Senate's professionalism.
The first secretary was Felipe Buencamino Jr., serving in the upper chamber of the fourth Philippine Legislature from the Senate's establishment in 1916 until 1917.
The current secretary of the Senate is Renato Bantug Jr., serving since the 19th Congress.[2]
Powers and duties
According to Rule V, Section 7 of the Rules of the Senate, the duties and powers of the Secretary are:[3]
- For the inaugural session of the Congress, to prepare the Order of Business of the Senate which shall include:
- A Resolution informing the President of the Philippines that the Senate has been organized and has elected its President, President Pro Tempore, Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms;
- A Resolution informing the House of Representatives that the Senate has been organized and has elected its President, President Pro Tempore, Secretary and Sergeant-at-Arms;
- A Concurrent Resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives providing for a joint session to hear the State of the Nation Address of the President of the Philippines;
- A Concurrent Resolution authorizing the appointment of a joint committee of both Houses to inform the President of the Philippines that Congress, in joint session, is ready to receive his State of the Nation Address;
- To attend the sessions of the Senate;
- To open, whenever there is neither a President nor a President Pro Tempore, the first session in which the Senators elected in the immediately preceding regular elections shall participate, and to announce that the business in order is the designation of the temporary President;
- To keep a Record and Journal of the proceedings of the Senate, and to certify them himself;
- To prepare and distribute the calendars of the Senate;
- To publish and distribute the Journal and Record of the Senate;
- To serve as custodian of all the records of the Senate;
- To certify all measures, orders and resolutions approved by the Senate and to stamp them with its official seal which shall also be under his custody;
- To appoint, whenever expressly authorized by the Senate, the necessary subordinate personnel thereof;
- To be responsible for the strict compliance by the Senate personnel with their duties, upon whom he may impose, for just cause, corrective or disciplinary measures including a recommendation to the President for their dismissal;
- To administer oath as a Notary ex officio of the Senate; and
- To perform other duties inherent in his office although not specified in these Rules.
The Secretary also serves as the official clerk of the impeachment court when the Senate convenes as such.
Secretaries of the Senate
The following persons served as Secretary of the Senate:
| Portrait | Name | Term start | Term end | Legislature | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felipe Buencamino Jr. | October 16, 1916 | 1917 | 4th Legislature | ||
| Fernando María Guerrero | 1917 | 1922 | [4] | ||
| 5th Legislature | |||||
| Faustino Aguilar | 1922 | 1931 | 6th Legislature | ||
| 7th Legislature | |||||
| 8th Legislature | |||||
| Fermín Torralba | 1931 | November 15, 1935 | 9th Legislature | ||
| 10th Legislature | |||||
| Senate abolished (1935–1941) | |||||
| Felix Lazo | June 9, 1945 | 1946 | 1st Commonwealth Congress | [4] | |
| Antonio Zacarias | 1946 | 1949 | 2nd Commonwealth Congress | ||
| 1st Congress | |||||
| Toribio Perez | 1949 | 1954 | 2nd Congress | ||
| Sofronio Quimson | 1954 | 1958 | 3rd Congress | ||
| Fidel Henares | 1958 | 1960 | 4th Congress | ||
| Regino Eustaquio | 1960 | 1966 | [4][5] | ||
| 5th Congress | |||||
| 6th Congress | |||||
| Eliseo Tenza | 1966 | 1972 | [4] | ||
| 7th Congress | |||||
| Senate abolished (1973–1986) | |||||
| Eriberto Bernal | July 27, 1987 | 1988 | 8th Congress | [4][6] | |
| Edwin Acoba | 1988 | 1991 | [4][7] | ||
| Anacleto Badoy | 1991 | 1992 | |||
| Lorenzo Leynes Jr. Acting |
1991 | 1992 | [4][8] | ||
| Anacleto Badoy | 1992 | 1993 | [4][9] | ||
| 9th Congress | |||||
| Edgardo Tumangan | 1993 | 1995 | [4][10][11] | ||
| 10th Congress | |||||
| Hezel Gacutan | 1995 | 1996 | [4] | ||
| Lorenzo Leynes Jr. | 1996 | 1998 | [4][12] | ||
| Hezel Gacutan | 1998 | April 2000 | [4] | ||
| 11th Congress | |||||
| Oscar Yabes | April 2000 | November 2000 | |||
| Lutgardo Barbo | November 2000 | July 23, 2001 | [4][13] | ||
| Oscar Yabes | July 23, 2001 | July 24, 2007 | 12th Congress | [4] | |
| 13th Congress | |||||
| Emma Lirio-Reyes | July 24, 2007 | July 22, 2013 | 14th Congress | [4][14] | |
| 15th Congress | |||||
| Oscar Yabes | July 22, 2013 | July 25, 2016 | 16th Congress | [4][15] | |
| Lutgardo Barbo | July 25, 2016 | May 29, 2018 | 17th Congress | [4] | |
| Myra Marie Villarica | May 29, 2018 | July 25, 2022 | |||
| 18th Congress | [4][16] | ||||
| Renato Bantug Jr. | July 25, 2022 | present | 19th Congress | [4][17] | |
| 20th Congress | |||||
References
- ^ "Direktoryo ng mga Ahensiya at Opisyal ng Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas" (PDF) (in Filipino). Department of Budget and Management. 2018. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
- ^ "Veteran moves: Abogado Renato Bantug elected Senate Secretary". POLITIKO. 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
- ^ "Rules of the Senate" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. pp. 10–12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "List of Previous Senators - Senate of the Philippines". web.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 040, s. 1960 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". ldr.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 034, s. 1988 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". ldr.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 035, s. 1988 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". ldr.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 145, s. 1991 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". issuances-library.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 148, s. 1992 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". issuances-library.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 021, s. 1993 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". ldr.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 9, s. 1995, 10th Congress of the Republic | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". ldr.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Resolution No. 124 | Senate of the Philippines Legislative Reference Bureau". issuances-library.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "From Senate secretary, Lutgardo Barbo now wants to be senator". RAPPLER. 2021-10-01. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Photo Release - New Senate Secretary". web.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Oscar Yabes is Senate Secretary". web.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Sotto swears in new Senate Secretary". web.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Senate Secretary par excellence". web.senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
See also
External links
- Secretary of the Senate, officers of the Philippine Senate