Cayetano won’t be distracted by ‘numbers’

SENATE President Alan Peter Cayetano said he will not allow the “numbers game” in the Senate to distract the chamber from tackling national issues affecting Filipinos. Cayetano was referring to the slim edge the majority bloc holds over the minority group. The majority bloc has 13 members, only two more than the minority bloc headed by Sen. Vicente Sotto III. Cayetano mustered 13 votes to unseat Sotto on May 11. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa made a surprise appearance at the Senate on that day after being absent for six months and delivered the deciding vote for Cayetano. Cayetano has since appealed to senators from both the majority and minority ranks to focus on “game-changing” solutions to the country’s economic and social problems. “Ang numbers kasi natin, parati tayo nako-confine sa (We are always confined to) 13-11, sa 12-11,” Cayetano said on a Facebook livestream on May 29. He said that among the important numbers that the Senate should address are inflation, farmers’ productivity, school dropouts, teenage pregnancy, and Acute Immune Deficiency Syndrome cases. “There are many priorities that we need to discuss,” Cayetano said. He said the Senate should be locked in on the economic crisis and how it affects the quality of life of ordinary Filipinos. “When we talk about quality of life, we have to talk about education, health, jobs, if salaries are enough amid the high prices of basic commodities,” he said in Filipino and English. In a privilege speech on May 18, Cayetano urged his colleagues to set clear priorities and identify reforms that could change the direction of the country. “There are so many bills in agriculture, education, health, and finances of our beloved country that we can do,” Cayetano said. “There are millions of Filipinos here and abroad who suffer. So, let us join hands on how we can deliver solutions to these problems.”

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