Despite its seeming unpopularity these days, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives vowed to criticize the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Jr. whenever it deems it necessary.
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, who is the most senior member of the Makabayan entering the 19th Congress, acknowledged on Thursday, June 7 that the public attacks against their group have intensified recently.
But Castro said they remain unfazed in their duty to become "fiscalizers" of the new administration.
"Di na nga mabilang ang mga post sa social media, sa kalsada na paninira sa Makabayan pero tumitindig pa rin kami sa aming paninindigan (There are countless posts on social media and statements on the streets that smear the Makabayan but we continue to stand on our ideals)," said the former assistant minority leader.
"We as the Makabayan bloc will continue our duty as fiscalizers and call out any misdeed of the Marcos administration," Castro stressed.
Marcos is expected to be a very popular president right out of the gate, given the historic majority mandate that he gained in the May polls to the tune of 31 million votes.
On the other hand, the Makabayan party-lists appeared to have sustained the opposite fate in the elections, leading to the decimation of their membership in the upcoming 19th Congress. From having six members in the 18th Congress, the Makabayan bloc now only has three.
The militant lawmakers are traditional members of the House minority, or the opposition.
Asked if Marcos's glowing popularity would discourage the Makabayan from being vocal against his administration, Castro said: "It does not matter if he is popular or not, because what is wrong is wrong and it has to be exposed and opposed."
As for the growing negative public perception of Makabayan, she said: "It does not matter to us for as long as we are telling the truth and what we are doing are for the good of our constituency."
"Our track records will speak for us," added Castro.
The two other Makabayan bloc members in the 19th Congress are Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel.