Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — It was orientation day for neophyte senators — but only three showed up — Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, and Joel Villanueva.
Manny Pacquiao and Leila de Lima were absent for Monday’s briefing.
Pacquiao’s chief of staff said he had a prior commitment in General Santos City.
The former congressman from Sarangani, together with Negros Occidental Rep. Julio “Jules” Ledesma IV, topped the record of congressmen with the most number of absences. Both attended only seven of 70 session days in 2014.
De Lima’s staff said she could not cancel her attendance to an event.
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Pet bills
Senate officers gave the Senate Rules book to Gatchalian, Hontiveros, and Villanueva. They and their staff were briefed on how the Senate makes laws, from the filing of bills to their eventual passage. They also were briefed on the Senate’s security, health services and the workings of other departments in the chamber.
Villanueva said his “first 10 bills” will revolve mostly around job creation and improvement of the education system.
He said these bills seek to institutionalize “what we have started in TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) and the improvement of the scholarship programs especially for the poor,” Villanueva said.
Hontiveros said she will focus on health concerns such as raising the compensation for barangay health workers, extending the maternity leave, and adding protection for pregnant women.
Gatchalian said he will push for the passage of a law giving free higher education in state colleges and universities.
Death penalty
The three neophyte senators, who said they will support Sen. Aquilino Koko Pimentel’s bid for the Senate presidency, have different views regarding the restoration of the death penalty — a priority of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte.
Hontiveros said she will oppose it because it is anti-poor and will not deter heinous crimes.
Both Gatchalian and Villanueva support it — but only for heinous crimes, and for drug lords and rapists.
Villanueva, however, does not agree to death by hanging. He favors a more humane method of executing death convicts.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian is against killing drug addicts as Duterte had announced earlier. He said users should be given a second chance.
“Marami dito sa mga user, minsan napapasok because of barkada,” Gatchalian said. [Many of these users were only influenced by their peers.]
