Sotto cites protracted BOL debates in SWS satisfaction rating drop

The debate on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) played a key role on Senate’s satisfaction rating drop in the second quarter of 2018, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

“The Senate was in the debate stage or ‘yung mga interpellation stage ng BOL. A lot of people waited for that medyo natagalan sa amin and there were other pending matters in the Senate na hindi agad naaksyunan sapagkat mahaba ang debate (sa BOL),” Sotto told reporters on Monday.

In a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, the upper chamber scored “good” satisfaction rating despite suffering a 4-point drop in the second quarter of 2018.

The poll said that 57 percent of 1,200 respondents nationwide were satisfied while 17 percent were dissatisfied with the Senate’s performance, setting a “good” +41 rating in the second quarter — four points down from the its first quarter “good” +45 mark.

This was the Senate’s lowest rating since 2016’s second quarter.

Despite the slip in the satisfaction rating, Sotto expressed hope that the trust and confidence of Filipinos in the Senate will improve in the coming months.

“Rollercoaster ang mga survey, paminsan-minsan tumataas minsan bumababa ‘yan. We hope that the trust and confidence of our countryman will be better in the comings months as far as this Senate is concerned,” Sotto said.

Asked what the senators need to do to improve the Senate’s rating, Sotto said they would just do their job and pass as many bills as they can.

“Basta gawin namin ang trabaho naming mabuti, sipagan pa namin, mas marami pang maaksyonang mga batas na kailangan, hindi lang ‘yung bills namin kundi ‘yung bills na nanggagaling sa House of Representatives maaksyonan agad namin,” the Senate leader said.

Sotto then revealed that the Senate is planning to hold a Thursday hearing to discuss local bills if these disrupt the deliberation of national bills.

“Ang agreement na na-reach sa all senators’ caucus namin is kapag kinailangan na…kapag ‘yung local bills ay nakaka-disrupt na sa national bills, then we will confine all the local bills on Thursdays,” he said.

Sotto admitted they have limited time to approve bills due to the looming election period. /kga