By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Pia Cayetano on Wednesday assured that she is open to studying all measures pertaining to the anti-dynasty bill.
Senator Pia Cayetano (Pia Cayetano Facebook Page, File / MANILA BULLETIN)
She issued the statement in response to questions whether President Duterte’s jab at the Cayetano family being a political dynasty offended her.
Apart from her, other members of the Cayetano family currently holding government positions are her brothers – Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano – as well as sister-in-law Rep. Lani Cayetano.
But as far as Sen. Pia is concerned, the joke uttered by the President in his speech is something that she has always been willing to talk about.
“First of all, biro nga ‘yun, ‘diba? So biro ‘yun, so if you ask me, biro. So I’ll leave it at that, kasi there are more important issues there.
Let’s draw our attention on the important issues, not the joke. But on that note, that is also something that I’m always willing to talk about,” Cayetano told reporters in an interview.
“Because when you talk about dynasty, I always ask let’s talk about governance. And I think with all due humility, the President has high regard for our family, my brother its evident in no less than his being endorsed (House) Speaker,” Cayetano said.
Cayetano recalled that it was the President himself who rallied lawmakers at the House of Representatives to elect her brother as the House Speaker.
“So we’re so proud (about it) and I call on everyone to judge the new Speaker on the work that he would do. And I’m so excited to be back in the Senate. I’m excited to work as the new chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, and Committee on Sustainable Development. So I always want to be judged on the work that we do,” Cayetano said.
Needless to say, Cayetano said their life in politics has always been “an open book.”
“That’s an open book and we want to do the kind of job that would really make the Filipinos proud that they elected us. Let’s make it clear, we were elected,” she stressed.
But this won’t mean she won’t support any anti-dynasty propositions that are now pending in the 18th Congress.
“I’ve always said, I always have an open mind on any issue that is brought upon on the floor. That has always been the position I have taken,” she said.
“I may have biases, but I made a quick scan of the political dynasty bills and I see there are different definitions of political dynasties. So it’s my job. I’m always open-minded to look at it,” she further said.