Senate session is ongoing despite broken aircon units on May 13, 2024. (Photo from a YouTube video at the Senate channel)
MANILA, Philippines — With two broken air-conditioning units in the Senate, visitors received a really warm welcome in the chamber on Monday.
At the start of the session, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri apologized for the “hot weather” condition inside the chamber.
“We apologize for the hot weather or the hot climate inside the Senate. Two of our air-conditioning units had broken down so it is being repaired as we speak,” Zubiri said.
“I know we have guests from another country. It’s not normally this warm in the Senate, and we apologize for that,” he further explained.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva proceeded to recognize the guests at the session hall, which included Singaporean ambassador to the Philippines Constance See Sin Yuan and a 64-man delegation from the Singapore Civil Service.
“We warmly welcome all of them in this august chamber,” Villanueva said.
The chamber also managed to approve several bills even as many of the senators were seen using handheld fan or electric fans during the session.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III stood up later on the Senate floor to raise their “ability to discharge” their functions given the hot conditions in the session hall.
“It’s too, if not warm, it’s too hot, Mr. President, and the best proof is that there’s an electric fan in front of the table of our Senate President Pro Tempore [Loren Legarda],” Pimentel noted.
“There is a fan in front of her table. Two electric fans directed at her,” he pointed out.
Pimentel then suggested suspending the session to discuss how the Senate could “competently continue” with its session.
Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa backed Pimentel’s motion.