Press Release

MIRIAM, MANNY, SERGE: SENATE’S TOP 3 WORKERS

A bill is the first draft of a proposed law, while a resolution is a call for an inquiry in aid of legislation, also known as congressional investigation.

Senate records show that the top three hardest working senators filed the following bills and resolutions: Santiago – 658, Villar – 592, and Osmeña – 391.

The highest number of bills was filed by the following: Santiago – 513, Villar – 508, and Osmeña – 353.

However, the highest number of resolutions was filed by a different set of senators, also led by Santiago – 145, and include Francis Pangilinan – 108, and Jamby Madrigal – 94.

“The statistics are significant in evaluating Senate performance. But the most important factor is not quantifiable – the quality of the senator’s participation in the Senate debates. This can only be revealed by an assiduous tracking of the daily debates in the Senate Journal,” Santiago said.

Santiago said that significant statistics include not only the number of bills and resolutions filed, but also the number of bills sponsored during Senate debates, during which the senator who is chair of the committee sponsoring the bill answers queries from his colleagues.

“Contrary to the pompous pronouncements of some analysts, the senator’s voting record is not necessarily a measure of integrity, unlike in the United States, where the senators vote along party and ideological lines. Here, senators tend to vote according to the line that is popular at the time, or that will advance their personal interest, or the interest of a lobby group,” Santiago said.

But Santiago said that the number of bills and resolutions filed indicates that “at least the senator is doing his basic homework.”

The rest of the senators, in the order of the bills and resolutions filed, are: Senators Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada – 338, Luisa Ejercito Estrada – 256, Edgardo Angara – 226, Kiko Pangilinan – 192, Ramon Magsaysay Jr. – 188, Aquilino Pimentel Jr. – 184, Ralph Recto – 168, Juan Flavier – 164, Mar Roxas – 160, Richard Gordon – 151, Jamby Madrigal – 143, Rodolfo Biazon – 139, Ramon Revilla Jr. – 130, Franklin Drilon – 127, Pia Cayetano – 121, Alfredo Lim – 113, Panfilo Lacson – 105, Manuel Lapid – 105, Juan Ponce Enrile – 102, and Joker Arroyo – 55.
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