President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly recognized Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the leader of the Senate during his 128th Independence Day speech on Friday. Multiple outlets report that in Marcos’ customary opening acknowledgments of government officials, he addressed the House Speaker and members of the House of Representatives, then named “Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian” as the Senate leader. One report says this is the first time Marcos has publicly recognized Gatchalian in this leadership capacity since a recent change in Senate leadership. Other coverage describes the recognition as Malacañang’s strongest visible acknowledgment yet of the Senate’s new leadership. At the same time, at least one outlet notes that the recognition comes amid an ongoing dispute in the Senate chamber, and frames it as signaling support for the current Senate leadership. The reports do not provide additional details in the excerpts about the nature of the leadership change or the dispute, but consistently link Marcos’ remarks during the Independence Day program to Gatchalian’s role as Senate President Pro Tempore and Senate leader.