• The Senate once again reinforced its role as the nation’s fiscalizer in the midst of perceived lack of direction of government response to pandemic

• The Senate pursued legislation that would help quell the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the country, and to ensure that the government can buy enough COVID-19 vaccines

• Two controversial Senate investigations were on overpriced PPEs and on the approval of the acquisition of a majority interest in the Malampaya deepwater gas-to-power project

• Before the end of December, the Senate also passed the bills that seek to require the registration of subscriber identification module and the bills clarifying the process of franchise and license application, amending the Contractors’ License law, and seeking the creation of judiciary marshals

Even though the political atmosphere has become hectic and tense in preparation for the May 2022 elections, the Senate in 2021 was able to sustain its hard-hitting stance as it worked to help the national government overcome the difficult challenge of starting the Philippine economy’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Upper Chamber, once again, reinforced its role as the nation’s fiscalizer, especially in the midst of the perceived lack of direction and misplaced priorities of the government in responding to the impact of the coronavirus disease.

As other countries struggled to try to “live with COVID-19,” the Philippines was not far behind. This gave senators the impetus to scour for available funds to sustain the government’s COVID-19 response and jumpstart the country’s economy that had been negatively impacted by the pandemic.

The Senate stood pat on pursuing legislation that would help quell the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the country, and to ensure that the government can buy enough COVID-19 vaccines for all.

That is why the Senate took the spotlight when it started its investigation on the purported overpriced COVID-19 supplies. It took to task the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the transfer of P42.4-billion worth of funds to the DBM’s Procurement Service (DBM-PS) for the purchase of pandemic materials.

This eventually led to the Senate to dig deeper into the contracts inked by the DBM-PS with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., which apparently cornered the bulk of the COVID-19 funds of the DOH.

In the course of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation, several close allies of the Duterte administration were dragged in the discussions, notably former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang, former DBM-PS’s head Christopher Lloyd Lao and other personalities.

This led to an exchange of stinging rebukes from President Duterte who continuously slammed SenatorRichard Gordon over his relentless pursuit on the alleged anomalous deal between the DBM-PS and Pharmally executives. Gordon leads the marathon hearings of the Blue Ribbon panel.

This has led Gordon’s panel to release a partial committee report recommending the filing of possible charges against Pharmally executives, Yang, and Lao.

For Gordon, the Senate hearing on the COA report was in consideration of the plight of the country’s health care workers who are bearing the brunt of the pandemic.

This eventually led the Senate to approve measures that seek to expedite the release of the healthcare workers’ special risk allowances (SRA), and increase the benefits that are meant for doctors, nurses and other medical practitioners.

2022 national budget

Before adjourning for the Christmas season, the Senate approved a version of the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget that is “prepared for the worst-case scenario” especially with the rise of the Omicron variant.

Sen. Sonny Angara, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, and sponsor of the budget measure, reassured that the DOH will continue to receive a significant portion of the national budget precisely to strengthen the government’s response against COVID-19 and the emerging variants of the disease.

Aside from giving the Health department a bigger budget, the Senate also approved a lion’s share of the national budget to the Department of Education (DepEd) to expand the face-to-face classes which finally opened during this year.

Funding support, according to Angara, would help ensure that the country’s schools can make a safe transition from distance or online learning to in-person classes way into 2022.

Malampaya

The Senate also marked 2021 with an investigation into the questionable approval of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy’s acquisition of a majority interest in the Malampaya deepwater gas-to-power project.

The Senate Energy Committee, led by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, delved deep into why the Department of Energy (DOE) highly favored Uy’s Udenna Corp. gain control over what they called the “crowning jewel” of the country’s energy infrastructure.

Although Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi insisted there was nothing irregular in giving consent to the Malampaya deals, previous discussions during the investigation showed that Uy was the biggest campaign contributor of President Duterte, and his company did not have the resources nor the expertise to run the project.

The Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC), which owns the remaining 10 percent stake in the Malampaya project, has withheld its consent to the sale of shares.

Gatchalian hailed the PNOC-EC’s decision which he said “will protect the Filipino interest...and the next generations to come.”

Agricultural smuggling

Also, just before Congress went on a holiday break, the Senate convened the Committee of the Whole to start an inquiry into the large-scale smuggling of agricultural products in the country which senators pointed out has been inflicting severe damage to the income and livelihood of the country’s farmers and fishermen.

It was Senate President Vicente Sotto III who called for the Senate probe into the seeming inaction of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to address the menace.

Bills passed

Despite the busy schedules and with the May 2022 elections just around the corner, the Senate passed priority legislations that seek to uplift the lives of many Filipinos especially during this pandemic.

Among the notable measures is the bill extending the validity of the 2021 National Budget to Dec. 31, 2022 as they see this as crucial in light of the government’s recovery efforts against the pandemic.

On top of this is the Senate’s timely approval of the P5-trillion national budget for 2022 which lawmakers also seek to utilize not only for COVID-19 response but also to help the victims of Typhoon Odette.

Protecting consumers, advancing welfare of women and children

Before the end of December, the Senate also passed the bills that seek to require the registration of subscriber identification module (SIM cards, or the SIM Card Registration Act, Amendments to the Public Service Act, the bill clarifying the process of franchise and license application, the bill amending the Contractors’ License law, the bill seeking the creation of judiciary marshals.

The Senate, this year, also passed on third and final reading the bill raising the age of sexual consent from the current 12 to 16 years old or the proposed Act Increasing the Age for Determining Statutory Rape and other Acts of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation to Protect Children.

A year of demanding accountability

For the most part, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said 2021 is a landmark year of demanding accountability and shielding the welfare of Filipinos, especially the women and children, as the country reeled from the effects of the pandemic.

“Makasaysayan ang taong ito para sa Senado na double-time na nagtrabaho maipasa lang ang mga batas na tutulong sa muling pagbangon ng ating bansa mula sa pandemya (This year is historic for the Senate that worked double-time to pass laws aimed at helping the nation rise again from the pandemic),” Hontiveros said.

“Ginulat man tayo ng (even though we were alarmed by the) Delta variant, hindi naman tayo nagpatinag sa ating hangarin na ‘healthy buhay at hanapbuhay’ para sa lahat (we were not shaken by our desire to achieve a health life and livelihood for everyone),” the senator stressed.

“Ang pagsugpo sa korapsyon, pag-demand ng accountability at transparency sa mga transaksyong pinapasukan ng gobyerno ay pagsisiguradong napupunta sa tamang mga programa at serbisyo ang pera ng taumbayan (Combatting corruption, demanding accountability and transparency on government transactions is a way of making sure that public money and the right service are going to our people),” the senator stated.

“People who are maliciously taking advantage of the situation for their personal gain at the expense of the Filipino people will be held accountable,” the lawmaker emphasized.