NIGHT OWL
Anna Mae Lamentillo
For Deputy House Speaker Rodante Marcoleta, Congress is not lacking in laws to help the marginalized, “We have many beautiful laws, but we also need to see to it that they are implemented well.”
He stresses that the various pieces of legislation crafted by both the House of Representatives and the Senate can actually help provide equal opportunities for all Filipinos, especially the poor, if agencies of government properly implement these laws and if legislators themselves carry out their oversight functions.
Deputy House Speaker Rodante Marcoleta
Rep. Marcoleta was born to a family of farmers in Paniqui, Tarlac. He is second among nine siblings. He values education and was actually an industrious student. Due to poverty, there were constant struggles, but he would always choose to see the brighter side of things.
In fact, one of the most important milestones he considers was when he graduated valedictorian in elementary. The ceremony was held at the dry section of Paniqui’s Public Market because it was raining that day and that was the only covered area in the place. The event was made memorable because it was the first time he wore a watch that was lent to him by his father, and also the first time he wore a new pair of pants. His father had it tailor-made for that special occasion. These little things mean a lot to him.
Early in life, Rep. Marcoleta already witnessed injustices to the poor. He was exposed to inequalities experienced by his own family and their community. When he was a little older, he would even discuss with his father if he was getting a fair share from his produce. He laments that there was even no document that would show that his father’s share in the produce of sugarcane was reasonable.
This is why he aimed to finish his studies and become a lawyer, not only to help his family but the community he grew in, and all other marginalized sectors.
From lawyer to congressman
When he became a lawyer, he tried to help as many people, especially the poor who had a lot of legal struggles, such as ejectment cases. Rep. Marcoleta thought that if he becomes a public servant, he can probably render more help to more people.
In 2004, he entered public service as Party List Representative. His goal was to help the marginalized gain equal opportunities not only in terms of access to basic social services but also to address injustices against them.
He was able to legislate measures that would benefit indigent citizens in the long term, such as laws on free college education, free irrigation, access to universal health care, and the Magna Carta of the Poor, among many others. He either authored these laws or actively participated in shepherding these bills to be passed by Congress and enacted.
As member of Congress, he is also able to seek the assistance of agencies of government in helping people who ask for him or his office’s help. His entering public service meant a lot for the people that he needs to help.
Priority as senator
Now that he is running for the Senate under the UniTeam of former Senator Bongbong Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Cong. Marcoleta hopes to contribute not only in creating laws that would help the marginalized, but also in strengthening the oversight function of Congress. He stresses that this is important because the oversight function deals with being able to determine whether the objectives of the law are implemented and followed.
He dreams of having a stable and peaceful country. He wants long term stability, especially since the country is being visited by several typhoons and other weather systems — all of which first affect the poor, the most vulnerable sector of society.
He would also like to help address corruption in the country. He emphasizes that no matter how diligent the leaders are, when corruption is rampant it drains the public coffers. In the end, it is the poor again who suffer because most of the money that should have funded public services needed by them went astray.