MANILA, Philippines — Three of the six outgoing senators are set to assume new posts in Congress and the executive branch on June 30, while the others are hoping to return to the Senate after three years.
Sen. Loren Legarda was elected representative of the lone congressional district of Antique. It is her first time to be a lawmaker in the House of Representatives after 18 years in the Senate.
“Filled with passion to serve and strengthened by political will to get things done, I surpassed three Senate terms and I am ready to face a bigger battlefield, ready to engage in more debates and forge alliances for the good not only of my constituents in my home province of Antique but of all the Filipino people,” Legarda said in her valedictory speech on Tuesday night.
Sen. Francis Escudero, a senator for 12 years (2007 to 2019), is set to be sworn in as governor of his home province of Sorsogon, where he also served as congressman for three consecutive terms or nine years beginning 1998.
Escudero felt sad he would no longer be a lawmaker but was also happy that he would be going home to Sorsogon.
“There’s a smile on my lips because after this day (last day of session), I’ll have more time now to be with my people who were never judgmental but continued to trust in me despite the challenges,” Escudero said in his valedictory speech.
Sen. Gregorio Honasan, senator from 1995 to 2004 and from 2007 to the present, is expected to be appointed as secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology after his term ends on June 30.
Honasan, who is known for his quiet demeanor, gave a heartfelt and humorous exit speech.
“Words are not enough to describe how I feel now because it has been a long journey. I’ve been a soldier for 17 years, went out of the system for seven years. I have been in this chamber for 21 years,” Honasan said.
“I know you will miss me because of my deafening silence,” he joked.
Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who was not able to win another term at the Senate, thanked his colleagues and employees of the chamber for the experience.
“Please keep that seat warm for me, guys, I hope to be back soon,” Ejercito told his group called the “Seatmates,” composed of Sens. Sonny Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva.
“The good one is signing off. Not for long,” he said.
Ejercito was credited for authoring numerous landmark legislation, including the Universal Health Care Law. He nearly made it to the coming 18th Congress, ranking 13th in the 12-slot senatorial elections.
Last week, President Duterte expressed regret over Ejercito’s loss while on a visit to Japan and indicated that he will appoint him to the Cabinet after the one-year ban on appointing losing candidates expires.
Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, who also lost his bid for re-election, said he was grateful to his fellow senators as he felt fulfilled for having pushed for various reform legislation on education, agriculture, business and micro-finance.
“These reforms, these laws are seeds that we planted with all of your help, with the hope of a better, more compassionate and more prosperous Philippines. They are seeds that we – each and every Filipino – can reap and sow even today and especially in years to come,” Aquino said.
He did not disclose his future plans but noted he was raring to go on his next “adventure.”
“Here in the Senate, choose your own adventure. You get to choose how many sessions you attend, how many hearings you hold, how many reforms you push and make into law. You get to choose if you wish to be more of a legislator or more of a fiscalizer, an advocate for a particularly important issue very close to your heart, or simply a voice of reason on all issues of importance,” Aquino said.
“You can be one of these, or all of these or none of these, but in the end, it is your choice how you conduct yourself, your office and the vast opportunity and trust given to you by our people. It’s your choice,” he said.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is also ending his term, did not deliver a valedictory speech but received an offer from Sen. Nancy Binay, whose father he investigated in the chamber for alleged anomalies in 2015.
Binay offered Trillanes a teaching job at the University of Makati. Sen. Panfilo Lacson disclosed Binay made the offer at the Senate lounge Tuesday night before the chamber formally adjourned session.
“Senate camaraderie at its best in the 17th Congress: Sen. Nancy Binay offered graduating Sen. Trillanes a teaching job at the University of Makati with 24-(hour) free parking at the Makati parking lot, plus free admission to the Ospital ng Makati and free burial in the Makati cemetery,” Lacson said in a Twitter post.
He later told reporters that he added the free parking and free burial in his tweet as a joke, noting that Trillanes investigated then Vice President Jejomar Binay after alleged anomalies in the construction of the public university and the parking building.
“I appreciated the sincere offer but I respectfully declined out of delicadeza. It was truly nice of her,” Trillanes said in a text message.
The senator earlier said he wanted to pursue a career in academe after his term as senator ends.