Senate minority moving to beef up ranks

MANILA, Philippines — Senators who are likely to comprise the minority bloc are moving to beef up their ranks ahead of the opening of the 19th Congress next month, even as they vowed to cooperate with their pro-administration colleagues on shared advocacies while ensuring checks and balances to prevent possible abuses.

Senators Risa Hontiveros and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, in separate interviews, said the strength and effectiveness of the minority bloc are measured not just by numbers but also by the seriousness of its members in fiscalizing constructively, including improving measures pushed by their majority colleagues.

“We will continue to be the responsible opposition in the Senate, and part of the responsibility of the minority also extends outside not only as political opposition but to communicate and engage with the general population,” Hontiveros told reporters in Filipino and English.

She said aside from issues from the past “that should not be buried,” the minority bloc should also raise with the majority senators, the current challenges arising from the pandemic and economic crisis.

She said she and Pimentel have begun talks on the priorities of the minority while reaching out to possible members even as they have yet to fully discuss who should lead the bloc.

Senator-elect Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Sen. Pia Cayetano, are reportedly inclined to join the minority and so is returning Sen. Francis Escudero, who was previously reported as a contender for Senate president.

Hontiveros conceded the opposition got a severe beating in the last elections but that she is trying to learn from its “hard won” and “painful” lessons.

“We will use these (lessons) to engage constructively and critically if need be, while offering alternatives to the incoming administration,” she said.

Pimentel admitted that it was not easy to form the minority but if it would include the Cayetanos and Escudero, the bloc would be formidable and would have a deep bench, having the four lawyers out of the six in the Senate.

“We will act as a check to prevent excesses that just because you’re many, you will disregard the rules. And being a lawyer, we will also raise our observations, points of view on constitutional issues or improve the wordings of a bill – we will contribute and not be obstructionists – to have better laws,” Pimentel told dwIZ.

He sees the number of minority senators to be a low of two to a maximum of six members.

“We also don’t want to be super outnumbered.”

He recalled the outgoing opposition bloc led by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon in the 18th Congress was able to have more than 20 bills enacted into law because the majority saw them as worthy of support.

Pimentel, however, said they could not move as fast as they want to as the minority bloc would be formed after the election of the Senate president in the 19th Congress.

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is expected to be the next Senate president.

The minority bloc is composed of senators who did not vote for the senator elected to lead the chamber. Committees given to the minority bloc will depend on what the majority will give minority members.

Pimentel said the fact they could not promise committee chairmanships to possible members is also an advantage and a source of strength as those joining the bloc would decide based on principles and not on posts offered.