Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda stated senators ought to concentrate on their actions and phrases to take care of correct decorum within the chamber, particularly within the age of social media.
“Sa panahon ngayon ng social media, hindi kamukha ng panahon namin nung 1998, pati 2007, pati 2010, iba e. Kaya lalo tayong dapat mag-ingat ng ating galaw, ating gawa. So we should be conscious of that, right?” Legarda, one of many veteran lawmakers within the nineteenth Congress, stated in an interview with reporters.
“Decorum is so vital kasi we should earn the respect. The respect is inherent in our place, however we should additionally earn it and to most important that respect we should act correctly. Di naman mahirap ‘di ba?” she went on.
While she acknowledged that senators, including her, sometimes show a lack of decorum, the lawmaker stressed that elected officials have a huge responsibility to the people.
“When I notice some break in decorum, because people are human, then I tell [it] to my colleagues in a nice way. Sometimes, I break it myself. Sometimes I’m too loud. It occurs, e,” Legarda stated.
“It’s not for me to judge anyone pero napakahalaga na talagang gampanan natin nang maayos at tapat ang ating tungkulin bilang halal ng bayan at [may] malaking mandato,” she added.
In a tv interview on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III cited the deliberations on the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) invoice for instance of senators’ supposed lack of decorum.
“Ang improvement siguro [sa current Senate] is to pay more attention to the proceedings during the plenary… Even itong Maharlika discussion namin, halos walang tao sa floor. Andoon sila sa lounge, pero halos walang tao sa floor,” Pimentel stated in an interview on CNN Philippines.
“Akala ko ba importante ito? Sasabihin nila they supported it kasi napaka-importante, it will also be intergenerational benefit and yet wala sa floor—walang nakikinig, walang nagpapakita ng interest. So that means, ang conclusion ko, hindi siya importante, alam din nila na hindi siya importante,” the minority chief added.
To recall, Pimentel questioned the dearth of quorum through the Senate plenary debates on the MIF invoice twice.
For Pimentel, the Senate’s decorum is seen via the phrases and actions of the members of the chamber. It may also be noticed via the “level of noise while in session.”
“If you’re paying consideration [to the plenary deliberations], you aren’t speaking to another person. You aren’t creating noise. Nakikinig ka. Number two, siguro, even ‘yung presence on the floor. Kulang sa presence on the floor. They may be in the Senate lounge, but we are not sure if they are listening—to show interest in what is happening,” he said.
Last week, former Senate President Franklin Drilon said that “the perception of the Senate by the public has been eroded by what has been observed as the lack of proper decorum.”
He emphasized that Senate leadership “bears the responsibility of protecting the prestige of the Senate.”
Despite his predecessor’s remarks, Pimentel stated that possibly the previous batches of senators “were more formal.”
“Maybe there’s really a trend to be informal even in our attires,” Pimentel added.
Neophyte Senator Robin Padilla earlier defended senators from criticisms over a supposed lack of decorum affecting the picture of the Senate, as he himself got here below fireplace for combing his mustache throughout a listening to.
He stated the management had been constant in reminding senators to hear and be conscious of the quorum. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
