Bato attends Senate session after being teased for 'sarap ng buhay' remark
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa was physically present in the Senate's session on Monday, June 1, after getting flak for his "Sarap ng buhay (life is good)" statements. Dela Rosa made good his commitment to physically attend their Monday session as "directed" by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and his colleagues. He was one of the eight senators who were in the plenary hall while 15 others attended the session thru video conference.
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
(Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa / Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) "You work double time, Sen. Dela Rosa," Sotto said in jest. Dela Rosa was at the Senate plenary to sponsor two bills as chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs. One is a bill seeking to increase the number of women recruits in the Philippine National Police (PNP), while the other is a measure proposing to amend the minimum height requirements for applicants in the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). "Quota na ko, Mr. President," Dela Rosa said as he stood for his speech on the second bill. The neophyte earlier drew flak after joking "sarap ng buhay (life is good)" when their session was suspended early on Tuesday, May 26. "Sarap ng buhay, sarap ng buhay (Life is good, life is good)! Ganito na lang tayo palagi ha (We should just work this way always, right)?" a laughing Dela Rosa was recorded saying at the end of their session. Netizens, however, found the remarks insensitive, as the number of deaths due to COVID-19 continue to spike. It has also displaced millions of workers. Senators then teased Dela Rosa and "directed" him to physically attend their Monday sessions because he is becoming very popular in social media." Following Dela Rosa's controversial remarks, Senate leaders decided to cut and mute the broadcast of their live session on their online platforms when they suspended.
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa(Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa / Facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) "You work double time, Sen. Dela Rosa," Sotto said in jest. Dela Rosa was at the Senate plenary to sponsor two bills as chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs. One is a bill seeking to increase the number of women recruits in the Philippine National Police (PNP), while the other is a measure proposing to amend the minimum height requirements for applicants in the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). "Quota na ko, Mr. President," Dela Rosa said as he stood for his speech on the second bill. The neophyte earlier drew flak after joking "sarap ng buhay (life is good)" when their session was suspended early on Tuesday, May 26. "Sarap ng buhay, sarap ng buhay (Life is good, life is good)! Ganito na lang tayo palagi ha (We should just work this way always, right)?" a laughing Dela Rosa was recorded saying at the end of their session. Netizens, however, found the remarks insensitive, as the number of deaths due to COVID-19 continue to spike. It has also displaced millions of workers. Senators then teased Dela Rosa and "directed" him to physically attend their Monday sessions because he is becoming very popular in social media." Following Dela Rosa's controversial remarks, Senate leaders decided to cut and mute the broadcast of their live session on their online platforms when they suspended.