Grumpy, lazy not allowed in Senate, exec tells employees

MANILA, Philippine—Being grumpy and lazy has no place in the Senate, according to its new secretary, Mark Llandro “Dong” Mendoza.

Addressing his fellow workers during a flag raising raising ceremony in the Senate on Monday, Mendoza stressed that “public office is public trust” and that everything they do in the Senate would have an impact on the lives of Filipino people.

“That is why our service must be serious—but not to the point that our faces always look like we are in a committee hearing,” he said.

“Frowning, being grumpy, and especially being lazy are not allowed in our ranks,” he stressed before ending his speech, which was met with cheers from the audience. 

Before he was elected in the post on February 2, Mendoza served as presidential adviser on legislative affairs from 2022 to 2025. 

He was also a members of the House  of Representatives from 2007 to 2016, and then, its secretary general from 2020 to 2022.

Now as secretary of the Senate, Mendoza underscored the need to foster respect for one another,  maintain professionalism in every situation and perform their duties with integrity and excellence—“even when no one is watching, and even if the only one watching is the CCTV.”

“Humility must guide our leadership,” he said. “A position is not a privilege; it is a responsibility. A title is not a crown, nor is it a license to be grumpy or abusive,” he pointed out.

“Honesty must define our actions. Integrity is not optional; it is essential. It is something we earn and prove every day,” he continued.

Mendoza added that doing the right thing would not only strengthen the Senate but it would also safeguard the country’s democracy.

(Note: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.)