President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday urged senators to resume work immediately, warning that the ongoing leadership dispute and repeated session deferments have disrupted the Senate's ability to perform its legislative duties.
“Get back to work. We have a lot of things to do,” Marcos said during an ambush interview following a meet-and-greet with Batang Maynila Presidential Scholars at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.
The President said Congress may need to pass urgent measures, including a possible supplemental budget and amendments to existing laws, to help the government respond to the ongoing oil crisis and other pressing concerns.
Marcos questioned the Senate's continued suspension of sessions, saying he could not understand how lawmakers could carry out their duties under the current situation. Drawing from his experience as a former congressman and senator, he noted that established rules require coordination with the House of Representatives before canceling sessions.
The President said the impasse has left the Senate in disarray and damaged the institution's credibility.
“I’m afraid all these events that we have been witnessing have thrown the Senate and its leadership, the whole Senate, into disarray. It has discredited the leadership, and it has stopped the essential business of legislation and government,” he said.
Marcos also pointed out that while the Executive and Judiciary continue to function normally, legislative work has stalled.
“The Executive continues to work. The Judiciary continues to work. Why does the Legislature decide to stop working? I don't understand that,” he said.
He warned that legislative paralysis runs counter to the government's efforts to provide stability and assistance to Filipinos, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty and emergency.
“We cannot do that if the Legislature decides to stay at home and take a vacation. That is anathema to everything that governance is about,” Marcos said.
The President said the Executive branch is studying legal and constitutional options to address the situation but acknowledged that it cannot compel senators to act because the Legislature is a coequal branch of government.
“We cannot tell them what to do. We cannot punish them for what they are doing. They have to regulate themselves. And they haven't been doing much of a good job right now,” he said.
