Philippine Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture

Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture
20th Congress
History
New session started	July 28, 2025 (2025-07-28)
Leadership
Chairman	Bam Aquino, KANP since July 29, 2025 (2025-07-29)
Minority Leader	Tito Sotto, NPC since July 28, 2025 (2025-07-28)

The Philippine Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture is a standing committee of the Senate of the Philippines.

This committee, along with the Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, was formed after the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture was split into two on July 31, 2019, pursuant to Senate Resolution No. 6 of the 18th Congress. ^[1]

Jurisdiction

According to the Rules of the Senate, ^[2] the committee handles all matters relating to:

• Early childhood care and education, pre-school, kindergarten, primary and secondary education
• Science high schools except the Philippine Science High School System
• Teachers' and students' welfare, teacher education and competency
• Non-formal, informal, indigenous learning systems, special education and community adult education
• Inclusive education, scholarships, grants, subsidies and incentives to deserving students
• The national language
• The Department of Education
• Establishment and maintenance of libraries, museums, shrines, monuments, and other historical sites and edifices
• Training programs and cultural and artistic programs of international institutions and organizations operating in the Philippines, such as the UNESCO
• Preservation, enrichment and evolution of Filipino arts and culture

Members, 20th Congress

Based on the Rules of the Senate, the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture has 15 members.

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Bam Aquino		KANP
Vice Chairpersons	Vacant
Members for the Majority
Members for the Minority

Ex officio members:

• Senate President pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada
• Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva
• Minority Floor Leader Tito Sotto

Committee secretary:Vacant

Historical membership rosters

19th Congress

Committee on Basic Education

Position	Member [3]	Party
Chairperson	Win Gatchalian		NPC
Members for the Majority	JV Ejercito		NPC
	Mark Villar		Nacionalista
	Nancy Binay		UNA
	Pia Cayetano		Nacionalista
	Ronald dela Rosa		PDP
	Bong Go		PDP
	Loren Legarda		NPC
	Imee Marcos		Nacionalista
	Robin Padilla		PDP
	Grace Poe		Independent
	Raffy Tulfo		Independent
	Joel Villanueva		Independent
	Migz Zubiri		Independent
Member for the Minority	Risa Hontiveros		Akbayan

Committee secretary: Hazel Ross P. Villarba ^[3]

Committee on Culture and the Arts

Position	Member [3]	Party
Chairperson	Loren Legarda		NPC
Vice Chairperson	Nancy Binay		UNA
Members for the Majority	JV Ejercito		NPC
	Mark Villar		Nacionalista
	Win Gatchalian		NPC
	Robin Padilla		PDP
	Grace Poe		Independent
	Migz Zubiri		Independent
Member for the Minority	Risa Hontiveros		Akbayan

Committee secretary: Joey M. Tunac ^[3]

18th Congress

Position	Member [4]	Party
Chairperson	Win Gatchalian		NPC
Vice Chairperson	Joel Villanueva		CIBAC
Members for the Majority	Nancy Binay		UNA
	Pia Cayetano		Nacionalista
	Bong Go		PDP–Laban
	Panfilo Lacson		Independent
	Lito Lapid		NPC
	Imee Marcos		Nacionalista
	Koko Pimentel		PDP–Laban
	Grace Poe		Independent
	Bong Revilla		Lakas
	Richard Gordon		Independent
Members for the Minority	Leila de Lima		Liberal
	Risa Hontiveros		Akbayan
	Francis Pangilinan		Liberal

Committee secretary: Joey M. Tunac

17th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Francis Escudero [5]		NPC
Vice Chairperson	Win Gatchalian		NPC

Chairperson

• Bam Aquino ^[a] (Liberal) ^[6]

16th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Pia Cayetano [7]		Nacionalista
Vice Chairperson	Serge Osmeña [7] [8]		Independent

15th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Edgardo Angara [9]		LDP

14th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Alan Peter Cayetano [10]		Nacionalista

13th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Juan Flavier [11]		Lakas

12th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Acting Chairperson	Kiko Pangilinan [12]		Liberal

Chairperson

• Rene Cayetano ^[b] (Lakas–NUCD–UMDP) ^[13]

11th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Tessie Aquino-Oreta [14]		LDP

10th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Blas Ople [15]		LDP

9th Congress

Position	Member	Party
Chairperson	Leticia Ramos-Shahani [16]		Lakas

See also

• List of Philippine Senate committees

Notes

1. Removed on February 27, 2017.
2. Died on June 25, 2003.

References

1. "Senate Resolution No. 6 (18th Congress)" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. July 31, 2019. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
2. "Rules of the Senate" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. July 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
3. "Senate Permanent Committees - 19th Congress" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines . December 10, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
4. "Senate Permanent Committees - 18th Congress" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines. September 24, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
5. "Chiz presses shift to coherent academic calendar in all schools". Interaksyon . Manila: Philstar Global Corp. May 23, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2025. [Francis] Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture[...]
6. Viray, Patricia Lourdes (February 27, 2017). "LP senators ousted from majority, committee posts". Philstar.com . Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
7. Estrada, Joseph Noel M. (July 29, 2015). "In pursuit of justice for Liam Madamba". Rappler . Rappler Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
8. "Bongbong puzzled by the quick departure of BSM teacher". Senate of the Philippines . May 27, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2025. [...]the Senate Committee on Education, Arts and Culture, presided over by its vice chairman, Sen. Sergio 'Serge' Osmeña III,[...]
9. "Chiz presses shift to coherent academic calendar in all schools". Philstar.com . Baler, Aurora: Philstar Global Corp. July 31, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2025. [Edgardo] Angara, the newly designated chairman of the Senate committee on education[...]
10. "Performance of the Senate - 16th Congress" (PDF). Senate of the Philippines . Pasay City. July 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2025. It was also this time that he [Senator Alan Peter Cayetano] chaired the Committee on Education, Arts and Culture[...]
11. Avendaño, Christine O. (August 3, 2004). "Miriam gets foreign relations committee; Joker keeps Blue Ribbon". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 19, no. 237. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A2. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
12. Barrinuevo, Jherry; Locsin, Joel; Isip, Rendy (May 16, 2003). "DoH seeks delay in June opening". Manila Standard . Vol. XVII, no. 91. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 2. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
13. Balana, Cynthia D. (May 16, 2002). "Senators seek review of tuition hikes". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 17, no. 157. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A4. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
14. Orejas, Tonette (July 4, 2000). "Senate committee urges probe of deductions in teachers' pay". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Vol. 15, no. 207. Angeles City: The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. 13. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
15. Villanueva, Marichu (July 25, 1995). "What's in a chair? ask Gloria, Serge". Manila Standard . Vol. IX, no. 161. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 28. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
16. Villanueva, Marichu A. (July 26, 1994). "Senate favors scrapping Blue Ribbon body". Manila Standard . Vol. VIII, no. 162. Kamahalan Publishing Corporation. p. 2. Retrieved July 23, 2025.