Naatasan si Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva na maging caretaker ng Senado sa susunod na dalawang linggo ngayong session break.
Ayon sa Special Order No. 2023-020 (OSP) na pinirmahan noong June 1, 2023, itinalaga si Villanueva ni Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri bilang Officer-In-Charge ng Senado mula June 3 hanggang 15, 2023.
“Part of our role as Majority Leader is to step up when the leadership calls for it,” Villanueva said.
Ang pagtalaga kay Villanueva ay alinsunod sa Rule IV ng Rules of the Senate kung saan nakasaad na “in the case of the temporary absence of the Senate President or the Senate President Pro-Tempore, the Majority Leader or in his absence, any of the two Deputy Majority Leaders, or any member designated by the President shall discharge the powers and duties of the President.”
“Business as usual po tayo dito sa Senado kahit nag-adjourn na po tayo sine die nitong Miyerkules,” Villanueva said.
“Hindi po natatapos ang trabaho natin dito sa Senado. Our colleagues have expressed to continue conducting hearings during the break,” he added.
Ayon sa Adopted Senate Resolution No. 21, binibigyang awtoridad nito ang lahat ng regular standing committees, oversight committees at special committees ng Senado na magsagawa ng hearings, meetings and consultations tuwing recess ng Senado para magpatuloy ang proseso sa pagpapasa ng mga nakahaing panukala at magsagawa ng imbestigasyon sa mga isyu ng national interests para makatulong sa pagbalangkas ng batas.
Bago mag-sine die adjournment ang First Regular Session ng 19th Congress, nakapagpasa ang Senado ng mga landmark legislations katulad ng pet bill ni Villanueva na Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act establishing a National Employment Master Plan, One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippines Act, Extension of the Period of Availment of the Estate Tax Amnesty, Rationalizing the Disability Pension of Veterans, Institutionalizing the Shared Service Facilities for MSMEs Act, Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, Regional Specialty Centers Act, Disability Pension for Veterans Act, at ang Maharlika Investment Fund Act.
