If there's one House member whose opinion on Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos actually matters, its Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe.
Dalipe, Marcos's immediate superior at the House Committee on Rules, was asked during the Ugnayan News Batasan news forum Tuesday, Aug. 16 about his assessment of the neophyte congressman's work so far.
Marcos is Dalipe's senior deputy majority leader--essentially his second in command.
"In the last three weeks that we're into session, he's performing well as my senior deputy majority leader. I can see how dedication of being the senior deputy majority leader; he's always there," Dalipe said of the 28-year-old Marcos.
The Mindanaoan stressed that Marcos is always present at rules panel meetings where the all the happenings on the plenary are dicussed.
"We operate as a team....we see to it that we have teamwork and being the next in command of the Committee on Rules, nandun siya palagi (he's always there). I always confer with him, he always confers with me. We meet with the different teams that are assigned to handle the plenary work, so OK naman (so it's OK). This early in the last three weeks, he's doing well," Dalipe added of the popular rookie solon.
Dalipe chairs the Committee on Rules.
He further said that Marcos is "not there for the title, but he's there working really hard as my senior deputy majority leader and I'd like to say the word out".
He also didn't expect the Ilocos Norte lawmaker to willingly take on the tough tasks that goes with the senior deputy majority leader (SDML).
"Ako nga, medyo na-suprise na (I was somewhat suprised because) he's a congressman, of course everyone knows that he's the son of the President na (that) he would not take on such tedious work in the plenary hall. Pero masipag. If there is one word, also masipag na and very dligent (but he is diligent, very diligent), so he's a very good SDML," Dalipe said.
This quality makes Marcos a "good one for the team especially that we have a lot of work that is assigned to us by the Speaker , especially after the SONA (State of the Nation Address) maraming hinihingi ang executive department, ang Presidente (The executive branch, the President is asking a lot from us)."