Simulan ko ang aking opening statement sa pag-share sa inyo sa aking naramdaman for the past two years. Mas magaang kargahin ang apo kesa pasanin ang mundo. Mas maginhawa ang humilata sa kama kesa bumangon nang maaga at pumasok sa opisina. Mas masarap manood ng Netflix kesa magbusisi ng national budget.
Upon the other hand, I also kept asking myself this question: Do I feel better doing things for myself instead of helping others? Now I have the answer. I just filed my COC.
Should I be given again the mandate to return to the Senate, I do not have to reinvent myself. I pledge to continue not availing of the pork barrel allocation s in any shape or form. I will continue being a vanguard if you will of the annual national budget to the best of my ability. I will help PBBM pursue his administration’s programs to benefit the majority of the Filipino people in alignment with the SONA message last year and in cadence with my personal credo: Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan. What is right must be kept right, what is wrong must be set right.
QUOTES from MEDIA INTERVIEW (with Tito Sotto):
Focusing on unprogrammed funds in the budget:
Ping Lacson: “By definition, ang unprogrammed fund under the SPF. 3 ang bahagi ng ating national budget. Ang regular budget, ito ang naka-appropriate sa iba’t ibang ahensya across all departments. Executive, legislative, judiciary. Ang SPF sa ilalim noon ang unprogrammed. At ang 3rd, automatic appropriations. Ang definition ng unprogrammed fund napakalinaw base sa special provision. 3 yan. Nadagdagan ng 2 provision kaya nadamay ang PhilHealth na pondo. At may isa pang nadagdag, ang foreign-assisted projects na hindi dapat. Kasi ang GAA is a general law and PhilHealth law as amended, pati ang UHC act, those are special laws. And basic ito, alam ng abogado, alam din ng mambabatas na hindi pwedeng amyendahan ng general law ang special law. So yan po ang aming dalawang ipaglalaban kung sakali kami mabibigyan ng isa pang pagkakataon.”
Tito Sotto: “Proposal din namin sa rightsizing, that includes budget reform. And that is going to address that particular issue.”
Role of the ‘Macho Bloc’ in the Senate:
Tito Sotto: “This time sa amin I’m sure at ito napagusapan na namin, we need to review law enforcement and look at how the efficacy of govt services is being executed so that incidents like the Alice Guo issue will never happen again.”
Ping Lacson: “Tulad ng sinabi ko sa aking opening statement, I don’t have to reinvent myself kasi ang dati kong ginagawa sa Senado and I think PBBM recognizes my fiscalizing role, basta ito in alignment with his SONA message last year, and in cadence with my personal credo, what is right must be kept right. Magkakasundo kami doon. At noong ako napili na ma-include I know for a fact that the President recognizes my possible role while serving in the Senate.”
Key Points to Consider Upon Return to the Senate:
Tito Sotto: “I think procedures are very important. Decorum. That will give a better environment not only for the senators or the congressmen but also the resource persons. Proper decorum, parliamentary rules, procedures should be strictly followed.”
Ping Lacson: “Not to take anything away from the previous SPs. Nang nanungkulan bilang SP si Tito Sotto, malaki ang improvement sa decorum. Natandaan ninyo sabay-sabay kami pumapasok sa session hall. Di parang hinalong palengke, bago siya nag-takeover. Talagang nandoon ang propriety at dito sumasaludo kaming lahat… At ako for a fact, for one, gusto ko maulit muli yan. Ang napanood namin sa UK Parliament, ‘Hear Ye Hear Ye’ pasok ang mga MPs, very orderly, very organized. At yan pinatupad ni SP Sotto nang siya SP. Sana maibalik ang ganoong sabihing nasimulang tradisyon.”
On Decorum in the Senate:
Ping Lacson: “We are not in a position to judge the present crop of senators kasi sabi nga natin Senatus, mature na mga individuals ito. Ang root word niya ang Latin word na Senatus. Hindi para sa amin humusga mali o tama ginagawa nila. Ang sinasabi ko lang, ang nasaksihan ko personally nang siya nagsilbing SP, nakita ko medyo ika nga naaayon sa propriety at saka ang aming titulo na kung kami tawaging honorable members of the Senate.”
On the Senate Presidency:
Tito Sotto: “Being SP is up to your colleagues. Bihira sa 9 na SP na sinilbihan ko ako ang 10th mula 1992 to present bihirang bihira ang nilakad niya… Pag nilakad mo usually di tumatagal. Sa akin it has not crossed my mind at this point. Sa akin kasi, we can always work like a regular senator. One very important committee a senator should handle is the committee on ethics. Pag sa committee on ethics ka you can always bank on decorum and proper parliamentary procedures that should be followed by the Senate.”
On Parliamentary Courtesy to the OVP:
Ping Lacson: “Time-honored tradition ito. Pag OP dinatnan namin ito. Pag OVP even the judiciary. Out of respect sa CJ ng SC, out of deference to the time-honored tradition, talagang open pakgatapos may mag-motion irekomenda sa plenaryo. But that’s a tradition. Hindi naman ito binding sa mga member na gustong magtanong ng clarificatory issues na gusto nilang tanungin sa head ng agencies whether it’s the OP being represented by the ES kasi di naman nag-a-appear ang presdient sa budget deliberation; OVP; at Judiciary. Di naman pwede pigilan na dahil may tradition, e sundin lagi ang tradition. Kung merong talagang gustong i-clarify, right niya yan para tanong ang dapat i-clarify sa kinauukulang ahensya o opisina.”
*****
GO! GO! GO! Sir Ping! We NEED YOU.
👍🆗ako: “Ang tama ay ipaglaban, ang mali ay labanan”