Senators' dinner with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Bahay Pangulo, Manila. Araneta-Marcos/Facebook

Gatchalian’s personal life brought up at senators’ Palace dinner: Villanueva`

RG Cruz

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1737018676658PALACE DINNER.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Senators&#x27; dinner with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Bahay Pangulo, Manila. Araneta-Marcos/Facebook"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senators&#x27; dinner with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the Bahay Pangulo, Manila. <em>Araneta-Marcos/Facebook </em></span></span></span></div><div> </div><p>MANILA — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s personal life was among the topics discussed during the dinner that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.  and First Lady Liza Marcos hosted for senators this week, Sen. Joel Villanueva said Thursday. </p><p>Just like Senate President Francis  Escudero, Villanueva maintained that the dinner was very relaxed and barely tackled anything political or official.</p><p>&quot;Chill lang. Kung merong significant pinag-usapan na personal, yung love life ni Sherwin. Nako, di ako yata dapat sabihin yun. Teka lang, mali yata ako doon. Pwede bang rewind ko na lang?&quot; Villanueva said in jest.</p><p>&quot;If there&#x27;s one thing na work related on my end, kasi it&#x27;s ano eh, parang lahat kami parang umiikot lang, kwentuhan. Kasi that&#x27;s the first time also we see each other, yung mga colleagues namin.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2025/1/15/escudero-no-impeachment-talks-in-senators-chillax-palace-dinner-1102">Escudero: No impeachment talk in senators’ ‘chillax’ Palace dinner</a></div><p>Gatchalian is known to be in a relationship with actress Bianca Manalo, but the status of their relationship has been the subject of online speculation for some time now.</p><p>Villanueva declined to give more details about what else was discussed. But he said he took up the matter of the government&#x27;s flood control programs with the President during Monday’s dinner. </p><p>He noted that the average spending on flood control has slightly gone down as he revealed the President wanted to remain vigilant on funds.</p><p>&quot;Ang only thing that I can share na medyo work related is when the President saw me he said, ‘O Joel, yung mga flood control, ini-veto ko.’ Sabi ko, ‘Yes, Mr. President, I&#x27;m aware dun.’ …Kasi ito nga yung, di ba, yung maliliit, patsipatsi na, alam naman natin wala rin impact,” he said.</p><p>&quot;From P1.44 billion last year na ginagastos a day, it&#x27;s down now to 1.37 billion a day. So malaki pa rin… I will continue to look into it because even the president somehow asked me na, oh, bantayan pa rin natin, tignan pa rin natin. Hindi pa rin tapos yung trabaho natin para ensure na maayos yung programs natin sa flood.” </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/31/flood-mitigation-water-resources-management-projects-vetoed-in-2025-budget-1441">Flood mitigation, water resources management projects vetoed by Marcos in 2025 budget</a><br/><a href="http://Flood mitigation, water resources management projects vetoed by President Marcos in the 2025 National Budget">DPWH explains delay in some flood control projects</a></div><p>He added: “That&#x27;s the only thing that I can remember… ‘Kamusta yung bakasyon, saan nagpunta, anong ginawa nitong break.’ Parang more of that lang, or the food that we&#x27;re having. I&#x27;m seated on the other side of the table. So, hindi ko alam kung ano yung napag-usapan sa kabilang table where the president is sitting.&quot;</p><p>In the meantime, Villanueva said he was not surprised that the government continues to raid hubs of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, which had been banned by the President. Villanueva said POGOs have splintered off.</p><p>&quot;Talagang naghiwa-hiwalay nagmaliliit-maliliit kaya talagang mas humirap na i-monitor. But they are aware na nandyan pa rin sila.&quot; Villanueva said.</p><p>&quot;Pag mafia think tank yung gumagana sa ganyan, talagang yun yung talagang gagawin at gagawin nila. Kaya importante na maging vigilant tayo at suportahan din natin yung PAOCC (Presidential Anti-organized Crime Commission) sa kanilang hangarin na mahuli itong mga mafia na ito.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/1/15/dole-says-programs-in-place-to-assist-workers-displaced-by-pogo-ban-1658">DOLE says programs in place to assist workers displaced by POGO ban</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/1/15/28-foreign-nationals-nabbed-in-a-small-scale-pogo-hub-in-cavite-2227">28 foreign nationals nabbed in a small-scale POGO hub in Cavite</a></div><div> </div>

<p>Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s personal life was among the topics discussed during the dinner that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos hosted for senators this week, Sen. Joel Villanueva said Thursday.</p>

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s personal life was among the topics discussed during the dinner that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos hosted for senators this week, Sen. Joel Villanueva said Thursday.

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Gatchalian’s personal life brought up at senators’ Palace dinner: Villanueva

Gatchalian’s personal life brought up at senators’ Palace dinner: Villanueva

RG Cruz

Published Jan 16, 2025 05:18 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 16, 2025 05:37 PM PHT

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