MANILA — Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday wished new Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto II good luck as he aired optimism that there will be swifter action on bills under the new leadership.
“We wish him luck. Sana maging maganda, mas gumanda pa, yung takbo ng passage ng mga bills, (We hope that the flow of the bills’ passage would be better),” Alvarez said in a press briefing.
Alvarez had earlier criticized the upper chamber for its sluggish action on bills, describing the Senate as the “slow chamber.”
For his part, 1-PACMAN Partylist Rep. Michael Romero lauded Sotto for his “very high political IQ” and noted that he has been a mentor to newcomers in Congress.
“Unknown to many he has played mentor not only to a lot of senators but congressmen like me, as well,” said Romero.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III stepped down as Senate president on Monday, nominating Sotto as his successor.
Majority of the upper chamber’s members — 15 of 23 — earlier signed a resolution electing Sotto as the new Senate president.
The 15 senators who signed the resolution include Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Senators Manny Pacquiao, Joel Villanueva, Cynthia Villar, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Grace Poe, Sonny Angara, Loren Legarda, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Escudero, Richard Gordon, Gregorio Honasan and Panfilo Lacson. (PNA)
