Senators must be mindful of decorum, especially in age of social media —Legarda

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda said senators should be aware of their actions and words to maintain proper decorum in the chamber, especially in the age of social media.

“Sa panahon ngayon ng social media, hindi kamukha ng panahon namin nung 1998, pati 2007, pati 2010, iba e. Kaya lalo tayong dapat mag-ingat ng ating galaw, ating gawa. So we should be conscious of that, right?” Legarda, one of the veteran lawmakers in the 19th Congress, said in an interview with reporters.

“Decorum is so important kasi we must earn the respect. The respect is inherent in our position, but we must also earn it and to main that respect we must act properly. Di naman mahirap ‘di ba?” she went on.

While she acknowledged that senators, including her, sometimes show a lack of decorum, the lawmaker stressed that elected officials have a huge responsibility to the people.

“When I notice some break in decorum, because people are human, then I tell [it] to my colleagues in a nice way. Sometimes, I break it myself. Sometimes I’m too loud. It happens, e,” Legarda said.

“It’s not for me to judge anyone pero napakahalaga na talagang gampanan natin nang maayos at tapat ang ating tungkulin bilang halal ng bayan at [may] malaking mandato,” she added.

In a television interview on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III cited the deliberations on the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) bill as an instance of senators' supposed lack of decorum.

“Ang improvement siguro [sa current Senate] is to pay more attention to the proceedings during the plenary… Even itong Maharlika discussion namin, halos walang tao sa floor. Andoon sila sa lounge, pero halos walang tao sa floor,” Pimentel said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

“Akala ko ba importante ito? Sasabihin nila they supported it kasi napaka-importante, it will also be intergenerational benefit and yet wala sa floor—walang nakikinig, walang nagpapakita ng interest. So that means, ang conclusion ko, hindi siya importante, alam din nila na hindi siya importante,” the minority leader added.

To recall, Pimentel questioned the lack of quorum during the Senate plenary debates on the MIF bill twice.

For Pimentel, the Senate's decorum is seen through the words and actions of the members of the chamber. It can also be observed through the “level of noise while in session.”

“If you are paying attention [to the plenary deliberations], you are not talking to someone else. You are not creating noise. Nakikinig ka. Number two, siguro, even ‘yung presence on the floor. Kulang sa presence on the floor. They may be in the Senate lounge, but we are not sure if they are listening—to show interest in what is happening,” he said.

Last week, former Senate President Franklin Drilon said that “the perception of the Senate by the public has been eroded by what has been observed as the lack of proper decorum.”

He emphasized that Senate leadership “bears the responsibility of protecting the prestige of the Senate.”

Despite his predecessor’s remarks, Pimentel said that maybe the past batches of senators "were more formal."

“Maybe there’s really a trend to be informal even in our attires,” Pimentel added.

Neophyte Senator Robin Padilla earlier defended senators from criticisms over a supposed lack of decorum affecting the image of the Senate, as he himself came under fire for combing his mustache during a hearing.

He said the leadership had been consistent in reminding senators to listen and be mindful of the quorum. — BM, GMA Integrated News