Lacson to rookie senators: Be humble, modest, do your research

Sen. Panfilo Lacson (Voltaire Domingo/ Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Outgoing Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Monday advised rookie senators to be humble, modest and do their research.

Lacson, who was first elected to the Senate in 2001, stressed the need for the new senators to be humble in pushing for their respective advocacies and to “learn the art of legislation.”

 “Humility is a virtue. Pagka bagong senador ka, be humble, be modest and try to learn yung art ng legislation kasi hindi ganoong ka simple,” Lacson told reporters in a Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday.

 (Humility is a virtue. If you are a new senator, be humble, be modest and try to learn the art of legislation because it is not that simple.)

 Lacson also recalled the advice he was given by veteran senators when he first stepped foot in the upper chamber 21 years ago.

 “Ishe-share ko na lang yung experience namin,” he said when asked to advise incoming neophyte senators.

(I will just share our experience.)

 “Natatandaan ko lang na advice sa amin ‘wag kayong tumayo kaagad, makiramdam muna kayo, maupo muna kayo, magmasid, mag-observe, makiramdam, wag tayo nang tayo, at baka mapahiya kasi kailangan you should learn the ropes, so to speak’,” he added.

(The advice to us was ‘don’t take the floor immediately, get a feel of it first, observe, don’t be too eager to take the floor or you may get humiliated because you should first learn the ropes, so to speak.’)

“Ang advice sa ‘min at least four months na maupo muna, manood, makinig, wag mag-interpellate at wag mag-privilege speech,” he further said.

 (Our advice to us was at least four months, sit down, watch, listen, don’t interpellate or deliver a privilege speech yet.)

 Research

 Lacson likewise underscored the importance of research—both for new senators and members of the Senate minority bloc.

 “Kailangan mag-research talaga para alam nila yung tatanungin nila. Ako, mas marami akong naging role sa minority kaysa sa naging majority. Mas mahaba yung pagiging minority ko. Kaya napwersa akong magaral ng budget, ng mga bills,” he said.

 (Research is essential, so they will know what to ask. I had more roles when I was in the minority than when I was a member of the majority. I spent a long time being a member of the minority. That’s why I was forced to study the budget, the bills.)

When asked if this was his advice to new senators, Lacson said: “Yeah, to all.”

“Maski yung mga dati nang senador, yung pumasok noong 2019, kasi hindi pa naman sila katagalan, kailangan talagang mag-aral,” he added.

 (Even those who entered the Senate before, those elected in 2019, have not been in the Senate that long, there is still a need to study.)

 Lacson is among eight outgoing senators from the 18th Congress whose term will end on June 30.

 Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police, was also one of 10 contenders for president in the May 2022 elections. 

 gsg/abc