On October 7, 2021, Cayetano filed his candidacy for senator as an independent candidate. Earlier, he had hinted that he would 'seriously consider' running for President, wherein his focus would be the passage of the "10K Ayuda Bill" he and his allies from the BTS (Balik sa Tamang Serbisyo) sa Kongreso bloc filed in the lower house. The 10K Ayuda Bill seeks to provide each Filipino household a one-time cash assistance amid the pandemic. He also wanted to focus on a five-year economic recovery plan that can be adopted by the presidential candidates. Cayetano won in the
2022 elections, placing seventh of the 12 winning candidates. Earning his third Senate term, he was the only winning senator not part of any coalitions. In the
19th Congress, he became part of the Senate independent bloc alongside his sister Pia. Cayetano chairs the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises and the Senate Committee on Science and Technology. Cayetano and his sister Pia are the titular hosts of public service program
Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda (CIA with BA), which premiered in February 2023 on
GMA Network. On September 9, 2025, following leadership changes that saw
Tito Sotto replacing
Francis Escudero as the
Senate President, Cayetano joined the minority bloc and became its
floor leader. Cayetano as a response to the
flood control projects controversy proposed the conduct of a
snap election and urged President Marcos, Vice President Duterte, and both chambers of the Congress to resign with "no incumbent from the above can run for one election cycle".
2026 Budget Reform Advocacy In the deliberations on the 2026 General Appropriations Bill, Cayetano advocated reforms focused on
child nutrition, education,
rural development, and
local government empowerment, arguing that the budget should confront long-standing structural weaknesses rather than short-term concerns. As Senate Minority Leader, Cayetano pushed for a shift in budget priorities toward
rural development and infrastructure outside Metro Manila. He argued that funding should help reduce regional disparities and stimulate provincial economies, including support for transportation projects such as railways in Mindanao and inter-regional connectivity, which he described as essential to unlocking economic activity beyond the capital region. His bloc also sought reforms to the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), urging the direct release of disaster assistance funds to affected LGUs to reduce bureaucratic delays and politicization in fund releases. He highlighted
child stunting as a growing national emergency, citing its irreversible impact on children’s physical growth and cognitive development and linking the issue to poverty, access to healthcare, and long-term education outcomes. He noted that the proposed national budget did not fund a dedicated nutrition council under the Department of Health (DOH) and pushed for a multi-agency approach, proposing that resources for nutrition programs be allocated across the DOH, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Local Government Support Fund to sustain unfunded or underfunded interventions. Cayetano also called for prioritizing regions with high stunting prevalence, and reiterated his proposal for an Anti-Stunting Action Plan (ASAP) and the creation of an inter-agency body to coordinate national nutrition efforts. In the education sector, Cayetano took a critical stance on the
K–12 program during budget deliberations, arguing that the government must either
fully fund all the requirements of the system or consider the
abolishment of junior high school and senior high school. He warned that maintaining an underfunded K–12 program undermines its intended goals, including improving employability and easing the financial burden on families, and called for greater accountability in aligning education spending with outcomes. Cayetano’s budget positions emphasized
empowering barangays and LGUs as frontline implementers of public services and development programs. He stressed the role of barangay health workers and local governments in early childhood care and nutrition, and called for reforms to reduce red tape in fund releases, streamline post-disaster assistance, and strengthen community-level governance. These advocacy points formed part of Cayetano’s broader critique of the 2026 budget process and outputs, including his call for a more
“game-changer” budget that decentralizes funding and responds to long-term socio-economic challenges.
Middle East Crisis Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East involving the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, the Minority Leader initiated the proposal and adoption of two significant Senate Resolutions addressing the war’s potential impact in the Philippines: •
Senate Resolution No. 343 - Adopted by the Senate on March 11, 2026, the measure urges the Executive Branch to immediately establish a National Contingency Framework and formulate a comprehensive National Contingencies Plan at the soonest possible time. •
Senate Resolution No. 350 - Adopted by the Senate on March 18, the measure pushes for the creation of an ad hoc committee to be known as the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT). The committee will be composed of chairpersons of all Senate committees, including those overseeing agriculture, trade, energy, and other critical sectors. Both resolutions were unanimously supported by the Senate as part of its proactive approach to addressing emerging crises.
20th Congress (July 2025 - present) Legislative Positions in the 20th Congress •
Senate Resolution No. 37 — Adopted by the Senate of the Philippines, this resolution expressed the sense of the Senate regarding public statements issued by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Manila concerning Philippine officials and institutions. During deliberations, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano emphasized the importance of defending Philippine sovereignty while maintaining responsible and disciplined diplomatic responses, noting the broader implications for overseas Filipino workers, the economy, and future generations. •
Senate Resolution No. 307 — Filed as one of the authors in his capacity as Senate Minority Leader, the resolution emphasized the primacy of constitutional due process for Filipino citizens. It affirmed that before any individual is subjected to surrender or jurisdiction involving the International Criminal Court (ICC), remedies under Philippine law must first be observed. On July 3, 2025, Cayetano filed ten priority bills outlining a legislative agenda focused on strengthening government systems, promoting Filipino values, and supporting families and future generations. Topping the list is the Filipino Values in Identity Act, which aims to institutionalize a national program on values formation through a dedicated Commission on Filipino Values and an Inter-Faith Council. Cayetano now serves as the Senate Minority Leader of one of the largest minority blocs in the history of the chamber. He holds no committee chairmanship but is an ex-officio member of all committees. During the stint of Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as Senate President, Cayetano held the following committee chairmanships until September 8, 2025: • Committee on Justice • Senate Representative of the Judicial and Bar Council • Committee on Accounts • Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education • Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies
19th Congress (July 2022-June 2025) Cayetano became part of the Senate independent bloc alongside his sister Pia. He chaired the following committees within 3 years: • Committee on Government Corporations • Committee on Science and Technology • Committee on Accounts • Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education • Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship Among the notable posts he held also include: • Vice Chairman, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee • Minority Leader, Commission on Appointments
Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda (2023 - present) Cayetano and his sister Senator Pia provide free legal assistance and public service through their television program Cayetano in Action with Boy Abunda. The show premiered in February 2023 on GMA Network. As of October 2025, it is currently in its 11th season with a total of 143 episodes. ==Controversy==