ANG SENADO NG PILIPINAS TURNS ONE SINCE PILOT AIRING

Senado ng Pilipinas production team with Senate President Francis Escudero taken on September 17, 2024. From left to right: Mark Hepuller (cameraman), JV Roque (segment producer), Red Madridano (segment producer and researcher), Catherine Vilar (host), Senate President Escudero, Camille Cabal (segment producer), Maria Edna Diomampo (make-up artist), Janina Magundayao (executive producer and director) Ford Cabrera (cameraman)

Ang Senado ng Pilipinas is celebrating its first anniversary since its first episode on July 21, 2024.

The one-hour public affairs program aims to make the Senate of the Philippines more accessible and relatable to the common Filipino by highlighting the work of the upper chamber of the Congress and showing how their efforts affect the public’s daily lives.

It is hosted by veteran journalist Catherine Vilar with over 20 years of background in the industry.

Within just a year of airing, the program earned a nomination as “Best Public Affairs Program” for 2025 Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) awards. Ang Senado ng Pilipinas host Catherine Vilar was also recognized by the Manila Overseas Press Club as “Outstanding Public Affairs TV Program Host” for the year 2024 to 2025.

The program has interviewed a handful of senators from Senate President Francis Escudero, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, then-Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, and then-Senator Cynthia Villar, among many others.

Ang Senado ng Pilipinas team with Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, taken on July 1, 2025.
Left to right: Eric Pineda (cameraman), Roshan Rareza and Essa lamela (University of Caloocan OJTs), Red Madridano (segment producer) Ford Cabrera (cameraman), Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Catherine Vilar (host), Maria Edna Diomampo (make-up artist), Janina Magundayao (executive producer and director), Joshua Crisostomo (segment producer), Mark Hepuller (cameraman)

The show has a number of segments that bring to light the multi-faceted work of the Senate:

Open House: News reports on the latest hearings and issues concerning the upper chamber, as told by IBC 13’s Senate correspondent, Jaybee Santiago.
Sen-ter Stage: Exclusive face to face interviews with senators, both past and present.
Batas Explained: A deep dive on the laws and bills that were either enacted or still in the advanced stages of the legislative process. It features interviews with the lawmakers themselves, or representatives from various government agencies enacting these laws, as well as the direct beneficiaries of such laws to give more context on how these laws impact Filipinos.
Senate Persona: Short profiles on individuals who have graced the halls of the Philippine Senate. They may be former senators or former resource persons in the Senate’s hearings, or members of the Senate staff and secretariat.
Behind the Senators: Interviews featuring members of the Senate’s staff and secretariat who work behind the scenes to help the senators perform their duties on the daily.
Flashback Senate: A look back on a historic moment that has transpired within the Senate walls.
Senate Onward: A rundown of the week-ahead schedule of the Senate.

IBC 13 Senate Correspondent breaks down the issue of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment at the Open House segment of Ang Senado ng Pilipinas with host, Catherine Vilar

Catch Ang Senado ng Pilipinas’ special analysis episode on the 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on August 3, 2025 at 9:30 am.

Follow IBC 13’s Facebook page and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch fresh episodes of Ang Senado ng Pilipinas every Sunday at 9:30am. It is also broadcasted on IBC TV 13 via cable. -JM