Re-elected Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday vows to remain "responsible" for her role after she was left as the lone member of the Opposition within the Senate following the May elections.
According to Hontiveros, she will remain responsible in order to fulfill the role of fiscalizer and ensure the Senate's role in the check-and-balances among the branches of government.
"Ano man ang maging bilang namin at division of labor sa magiging minorya, ako po mananatiling responsableng oposisyon, responsableng minorya, para patuloy na ganapin sana 'yung papel ng checks and balances, 'yung papel ng fiscalizer habang patuloy rin na kayang-kayang makipag-trabaho sa mga kasama sa majority," Hontiveros told DZRH.
(Whatever our numbers are and our division of labor in the minority, I will remain a responsible opposition, a responsible minority, to continue fulfilling the role of checks and balances, the role of fiscalizer, while being able to work with the majority.)
In terms of laws, she remains confident of the Senate being able to look beyond the minority and majority lines in order to pass critical bills.
"Alang-alang sa mga mamamayan antin. Iyan pa naman ang mayamang tradisyon ng Senado, tumitiding po maya't maya sa mga mahahalagang sandali bilang independenteng institution," she said.
(For the sake of the people. It is the rich tradition of the Senate to remain steadfast in the most important moments as an independent institution.)
In forming the Senate's minority bloc, Hontiveros said she already had talks with fellow Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, who was previously reported to be interested in joining the minority bloc.
"Sa ngayon ang nakausap ko pa lang, na alam kong meron na kaming matinding inklinasyon talaga magbuo ng minorya, ay si Sen. Koko. And then may ilan pa po kaming kinakausap para i-explore kasi napakaaga pa pong yugto ito ngayon," she said.
(For now, the only person I have spoken to, who I know has a strong inclination to forming a minority, is Sen. Koko. And then we are also talking to others to explore this, because it is still an early chapter for now.)
Hontiveros stressed that beyond numbers, it is much more important to have a "true minority" that can be effective in fulfilling its role.
"Gaano man kami kakaunti o mas marami, ang mahalaga po sa akin ay tunay na minorya at magiging mabisa pa rin sa pagampa ng aming tungkulin."
(No matter how small or big, for me the most important is having a true minority that is effective in fulfilling its responsibilities.)
