By: Quennie B. Sereno
Magic 12
After two grueling years caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipinos put their hopes in their ballots as they cast them during the 2022 May elections. The result was a mixture of interesting breeds of Senators: an actor, a mediator in his own show, a lone opposition candidate, the son of one of the richest men in the country, among others. Nonetheless, they were voted for reasons ranging from their popularity, reputation, or promises they’ve made.
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Robinhood “Robin” Padilla
He calls himself the ‘Robinhood’ of the Senate of the Philippines; topnotcher of the 2022 national elections, Padilla had a lot to promise on his first term as a senator. He promised to push for the passage of the Security of Tenure and End of Endo Act of 2018 (Anti-Endo Bill), replace the current system of government with federalism, and give more ‘teeth’ to existing mining laws (e.g. R.A. 7942).
Padilla has filed Senate Resolution No. 6, directing the Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Code – to which he was elected as the chairman, the first non-lawyer since the 1987 Constitution was drafted – to review his proposal to establish a federal government. Senate Bill No. 230 which seeks to legalize marijuana for compassionate purposes and Senate Bill No. 226 which aims for the equal treatment of Filipino and English languages, are among the other bills filed by Padilla. Other than expressing support for the Anti-Endo Bill and reiterating the need to improve existing mining laws, no concrete actions have yet been done by Padilla.
If Padilla, who is notorious for his bad boy image from his showbiz days, wants to be taken seriously, he must accomplish more instead of lambasting someone merely because the latter quoted his previous movies.
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Loren Legarda
Fourth-term senator Lorna Regina “Loren” Legarda announced that she will be focusing on health and livelihood in her comeback, making sure that the 2023 budget will include the right budget for COVID-19 vaccines and enough to upgrade services in provincial hospitals. As an experienced lawmaker, she must know by now how to provide concrete plans for her promises.
Other agendas of this UniTeam-backed Senator and former broadcast journalist, are putting the environment on the national agenda, focusing on proper waste management and like Padilla, revisiting the mining law. Legarda filed Senate Bill 9, otherwise known as the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Law of 2022.
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Rafael Tulfo
The masses called him “Idol”; now, he is a senator. Rafael “Raffy” Tulfo promised to bring the Tulfo brand of justice to the Senate, the one that twenty-five million followers subscribe to on his YouTube Channel. Tulfo promised to defend the poor and the local workers as well as the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).
During the recent hearing on the proposed 2023 national budget, the neophyte senator blasted the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for cutting the budget of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), which was supposed to have been for the latter’s infrastructure. He also pleaded to prohibit the practice of subcontracting as he expressed his dismay over sub-quality government projects which only squander the money of the public.
Tulfo vowed to push for the enactment of a law which will mandate a 5% fixed allocation in the national budget for lifelong assistance to “Filipinos with disabilities, special needs, continuing care, and mental health conditions.” One might wonder what the Tulfo justice will bring, especially when there are two of them in power, the other being the Secretary of the Department of Social & Welfare Development, Erwin Tulfo.
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Win Gatchalian
Another UniTeam member, Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian is now on his second term in the Senate, declaring that he will be prioritizing on solving what he calls the country’s “education crisis” brought by the pandemic. Most notable for being one of the three top spenders in the Senate race, buying ad space worth more than P1 billion, Gatchalian demanded the increase of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) budget from P96 million to P160 million for the conversion of 16 Special Education Centers to an Inclusive Learning Resource Center for students with disabilities.
Gatchalian, who serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, filed Senate Bill No. 477, otherwise known as the Philippine Online Library Act which requires the DepEd to digitize books, intended as a measure for children left behind due to school closures during the pandemic.
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Chiz Escudero
At the center of fifth term re-electionist Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero’s agenda is solving economic and public health problems and strengthening the local government units (LGU) amid the COVID-19.
Escudero, who has been in politics since he was twenty-eight years old, stated that the government should focus on job creation, specifically mentioning the government’s P1.18 trillion allocated budget for the Build, Build, Build program. The veteran senator filed a tax reform bill which would amend the Local Government Code of 19991 (R.A. 7160) by prohibiting any form of interference by the national government on the use of national tax allotment and locally generated revenues by the LGUs.
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Mark Villar
Son of the country’s richest man, Mark Villar’s legislative agenda is the continuation of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
Villar, former Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), defended the P737.36 billion proposed 2023 budget of the DPWH, claiming that, “If we want to experience the full capability of the DPWH, if we have the expectation that it will provide us the service, I think we should also reciprocate by giving them the budget that is needed.” Villar’s stance remained despite Allan Peter Cayetano, Villa’s colleague in the Senate, pointing out insufficient descriptions of two road projects and double appropriations for several projects.
The top ad spender during the 2022 senatorial race and notwithstanding concerns over potential conflict of interest in light of the Villar family’s business, Villar joins his mother, Cynthia Villar, the wealthiest senator in the country, in the upper legislative chamber.
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Allan Peter Cayetano
Like most of the senatorial candidates in the 2022 national elections, former running mate of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, Foreign Affairs Secretary and House Speaker, Alan Peter Cayetano’s legislative agenda revolves around health and economy.
Cayetano revived his bill which seeks to provide P10,000.00 cash aid to COVID-affected families. Interestingly, he filed the same bill in the 18th Congress, however, the same failed to be included in the Bayanihan 3 COVID-19 aid package. He also filed Senate Bill No. 302, otherwise known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps); the purpose of which is to provide assistance to the marginalized sector and victims of calamities and disasters whether natural or man-made.
The experienced senator also filed Senate Bill No. 63 which aims to prohibit and penalize online gambling, citing moral reasons, financial harm, and serious health consequences.
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Juan Miguel Zubiri
Dubbed as ‘Mr. Clean Energy’ for having worked for the passage of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and the Biofuels Act of 2006, Juan Miguel Zubiri’s platform centers heavily on the environment. However, he has not filed any bill furthering his environmental cause.
Another legislative agenda of Zubiri is building specialty hospitals in regions outside Metro Manila, with the objective of making healthcare services more accessible. He claimed that he is committed to decentralizing the healthcare system. On September 15, 2022, a Senate bill establishing centers in every region was filed, not by Zubiri, but by his colleague Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
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Joel Villanueva
Emmanuel Joel Jose “Tesdaman” Villanueva’s legislative agenda is anchored on strengthening the backbone of the labor economy, such as job creation, security of tenure, and emergency employment scheme.
Senate Majority Leader Villanueva filed his priority bill entitled National Employment Strategy (NERS) and wants to expand it to be the National Employment Action Plan (NEA) to address the issue of unemployment in the country. This came after the Labor Force Survey showed that there are 2.69 million Filipinos who are unemployed in July 2022.
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JV Ejercito
Similar to Villar’s legislative agenda which is infrastructure, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito filed a comprehensive masterplan for the infrastructure development in the country as his priority bill. The measure includes modernization of transportation, railways, ports and airports system as well as agri-food terminals and intermodal transportation terminals to provide assistance to farmers.
Ejercito also filed a bill amending the Universal Healthcare Law (UHC) by adjusting the current premium contribution schemes amidst the pandemic. In line with his infrastructure agenda, Ejercito has also pushed for the construction of medical facilities in rural areas.
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Risa Hontiveros
The only opposition candidate to enter the Senate ‘Magic 12’, Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros’ priority bill in the 19th Congress is the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Bill also known as the SOGIE equality bill. The bill aims to ban discrimination on the basis of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Hontiveros has repeatedly filed the said bill but to no avail due to strong opposition from conservative senators.
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Jinggoy Estrada
Half-brother of Ejercito, Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr., also known as Jinggoy Estrada, vowed the same promises as with his fellow Senators, such as strengthening the economy, health system, education, LGUs, and agriculture.
Estrada, who was arrested and detained for involvement with pork barrel scam mastermind Janel Lim Napoles in 2014 and was named co-accused in the 2001 plunder case filed against his father, former President Joseph Estrada, filed a variety of bills such as a bill creating a National Sex Offender Registry, a measure seeking the establishment of a medical reserve corps, and a bill creating an Online Verification System. Recently, Estrada came under fire after making a comment that South Korean television shows should be banned from the Philippines.
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Promised Neverland
Half a year into their term, many things are yet to be said and done. The challenge today is remaining vigilant on how the outcome of the promises made will unfold. The battle for the motherland is fought and won every day. It is lost when Filipinos fail to hold those elected in power accountable and get away with immunity. Only then are we left in the promised neverland.