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Sotto posts perfect attendance; Guingona, Cayetano top in absences, tardiness


And the Senate beadle's report is out.

Sen. Vicente Sotto III is the only senator who posted a “perfect” attendance in the last six years in the Senate.

Senate President Drilon also posted a perfect attendance in the last three years of the 16th Congress. 

Drilon attended 209 out of the 214 plenary sessions, was late 16 times and was on official mission -- either out of town or out of the country, five times.

Also with a near perfect attendance in the 16th Congress, was Sen. Gregorio Honasan. He was only marked absent and late once in all 214 plenary sessions in the past three years.

Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano who is aspiring to become the next Senate president, failed to complete his attendance in the 15th and 16th Congress.

He and Sen. Teofisto "TG" Guingona III led the so-called “horror roll” in the 16th Congress which adjourned sine die last June 6.

Cayetano was second in terms of absenteeism and tardiness.

Out of the total 214 session days of the 15th Congress, Cayetano managed to attend only 141 and and in the days he was present, he was marked late.  He was also on “official mission” 63 times.

Cayetano however improved on his attendance in the 16th Congress. He was marked late in afternoon sessions 10 times. He was  present in 137 out of 214 session days and was on official mission 67 times.

Guingona meanwhile was absent nearly half of the 16th Congress sessions, having been present in only 110 session days and was late 15 times.

He was also the most “travelled” among his colleagues in terms of official missions having been on official mission 78 times, second most travelled was Cayetano, followed by Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. with 56 official missions.

All three -- Guingona, Cayetano and Marcos -- ran and lost in the last elections.

Guingona is the only reelectionist senator who lost.

Cayetano and Marcos ran for vice president and were edged out by Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.

Only Cayetano will remain in the Senate as he still has three years remaining in his six-year term.

Marcos was seventh in the list of most tardy senators. He was recorded to have arrived after the roll was called 34 times. He was also the third most travelled with 56 official missions. He only attended 146 sessions.                                                             

Fourth in poor attendance was Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

He was present in the plenary 149 times, of which he was late 56 times,  making him second most tardy in the 16th Congress.

Trillanes shared the fifth spot with Sen. Cynthia Villar as the most travelled. They both were on official mission 33 times.

Sen. Pia Cayetano was fifth most absent senator having been present 176 times and No. 8 in being tardy as she was late 21 times and fourth most travelled with 36 official missions.

Landing sixth in being in the list of absenteeism is retiring Sen. Lito Lapid. He was present 177 times and seventh in most number of official missions. He was late six times.

Coming in seventh to Lapid in terms of poor attendance is Villar as she managed to attend 180 plenary sessions and was late 10 times.

Completing the list of top 10 in absenteeism are Senators Loren Legarda, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Grace Poe as they were present 183, 187 and 193 times respectively.

Not considered in this list of poor attendance were Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as they were placed in detention for most of the 16th Congress.

They were present only during the first regular session or from July 22, 2013 to June 11, 2014 and in the recorded 83 session days, Estrada had near perfect attendance, having been absent only once while Enrile was present 72 times, his absences were due to sickness while Revilla was present 71 times .

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who has been battling lung cancer for two years now, was able to attend only five session days since 2013.

Yet, she still managed to attend to her commitments outside of Senate, meaning, on official mission, 17 times. — APG, GMA News

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