Regardless of the outcome of the leadership race in the Senate, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will remain independent and will continue his role as fiscalizer.
In an interview late Wednesday, Lacson pointed out it is not the alignments that is important, but how one stands and fights for the issues one believes in.
“Wherever I will go, I remain independent-minded. Since Day One, my stand on issues has been independent of the majority and the minority. Besides, I have experienced being on both sides,” he said in Filipino in an interview on One News.
“My stand is that I don’t need the pork or perks. So I don’t care if I’m with the majority or minority,” he added.
In Filipino: Ping Lacson Mananatiling Independent Fiscalizer, Anuman ang Magiging Resulta ng Senate Leadership Race
Lacson also pointed out he is not angling for any committee in the Senate, as there are more than enough committees – 38 – for 24 senators.
Besides, he said that when he was given a committee that some deemed insignificant – the Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization – he managed to pass several important measures including the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, as well as the Philippine Dental Act of 2007 and the Real Estate Service Act of the Philippines, among others.
“Even if you get a seemingly high-profile committee, you achieve nothing if you’re lazy. But if you work hard, even if you get what many consider a throwaway committee, you will get many things done,” Lacson said.
Lacson also maintained he will continue to be a fiscalizer, noting that even when he was with the majority bloc and sponsored the budgets of some agencies, he still interpellated the budgets of other agencies.
His scrutiny and fiscalizing in his 18 years in the Senate saved the Filipino people some P300 billion.
“When I was in the majority, I was vice chairman of the finance committee. I sponsored the budgets of the Defense Department and Commission on Human Rights, among others. Yet I still fiscalized – I interpellated on the floor and in committee hearings. My scrutiny of the budget in my past 18 years in the Senate resulted in P300 billion in savings for the Filipino people,” he said.
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Ping Lacson Mananatiling Independent Fiscalizer, Anuman ang Magiging Resulta ng Senate Leadership Race
Anuman ang magiging resulta ng labanan sa liderato ng Senado, mananatiling independent si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson at itutuloy niya ang kanyang trabaho bilang fiscalizer.
Sa panayam nitong Miyerkules ng hapon, ipinunto ni Lacson na ang mahalaga ay ang pagtayo at paglaban para sa prinsipyo sa isyu, at hindi ang pakikipagalyansa.
“Maski saan ako mapunta, independent ako mag-isip. At mga position ko mula’t sapul independent of the stand or position ng majority or minority kasi nakatikim ako mag minority at nakatikim ako maging majority,” aniya sa panayam sa One News.
“Ang tayo ko palagi I don’t need the pork or perks. So I don’t care if I’m with the minority or majority,” dagdag niya.
Iginiit din ni Lacson na hindi siya hihingi ng komite sa Senado, lalo na’t mas marami ang 38 komite kesa 24 na senador.
Dagdag niya, nang binigyan siya ng itinuturing ng ilan na “latak” na komite – ang Committee on Civil Service and Government Reorganization – maraming batas ang naipasa niya kabilang ang Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, Philippine Dental Act of 2007, at ang Real Estate Service Act of the Philippines, at marami pang iba.
“Maski maganda ang committee mo, kung tamad ka naman, wala kang maipapasa. Pero maski latak ang committee mo at masipag ka, marami kang maipapasa, basta ginagawa mo ang trabaho mo,” ani Lacson.
Iginiit din ni Lacson na mananatili siyang fiscalizer, dahil kahit noong nasa majority siya at nag-sponsor sa budget ng ilang ahensya, nag-interpellate pa rin siya sa kwestyonableng item sa budget ng ibang ahensya.
Dahil sa kanyang pagbusisi sa budget sa nakaraang 18 taon, nakatipid ang Pilipino ng P300 bilyon.
“Noong sa majority ako, vice chairman ako ng finance committee. Naging sponsor ako ng budget ng DND, CHR at ibang agencies yet nagfi-fiscalize ako sa budget. Interpellate ako sa floor and committee hearing. Ang dami kong nasa-save, nagulat ako nakwenta ng staff ko sa 18 years, P300B ang naisalba dahil nai-correct,” aniya.
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