Marcos Calls Special Congressional Session on June 17 for Urgent Social, Education Bills

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has officially called for a special session of Congress tomorrow, June 17, 2026, to fast-track a critical slate of delayed social protection and education bills amid mounting energy concerns and recent natural disasters.

Under Proclamation No. 1318, both the Senate and the House of Representatives will convene ahead of schedule to break a legislative bottleneck caused by a recent Senate leadership dispute.

Palace Certifies Eight Urgent Bills

According to Malacañang Palace, the Chief Executive certified eight priority bills as urgent to address pressing socioeconomic gaps. The special session will focus heavily on expanding access to higher education and strengthening the national safety net.

The certified legislative agenda includes:

The Anti-Political Dynasty Law to fulfill long-standing constitutional mandates.

The Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) Act to institutionalize direct social relief.

Amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act to stabilize free tuition funding.

The National Center for Geriatric Health Act to upgrade specialized medical care for senior citizens.

Educational Support Amendments covering the GASTPE program, Last Mile Schools, the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, and expanded government scholarship programs.

Commission on Appointments to Convene

Alongside the legislative sessions, the Commission on Appointments (CA) will formally convene to review and confirm several high-level presidential nominations.

Dozens of appointments within the Cabinet, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the foreign service have remained in limbo. Palace officials emphasized that confirming these positions is vital to maintaining government stability during ongoing recovery efforts from recent typhoons.

Leadership Dispute Shadows Quorum Hopes

The sudden session comes during a highly fractious period in the upper chamber. A bitter leadership dispute between rival Senate factions—led by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano—has threatened to stall legislative momentum.

Despite the political friction, congressional leaders from both chambers expressed confidence that lawmakers will set aside partisan divides. Both the Senate and the House are expected to establish a quorum when the session officially opens tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.