Last Wednesday, I had the privilege of speaking at the Philippine Insurance Summit held at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati on industry updates. The gathering brought together industry leaders, regulators, professionals and guests from abroad to discuss reforms and initiatives that would strengthen the Philippine insurance sector and make it more responsive to the needs of the Filipino people.

As I stood before over 400 people, including foreign delegates and industry stakeholders, I found myself in an uncomfortable position. We spoke of modernization and legislative reforms. We spoke of attracting investments and creating a more competitive financial services sector. Yet, in the back of everyone’s mind lingered an unavoidable question: How can we credibly advocate for reform when the very institution tasked with passing these reforms appears to be struggling with its own identity and leadership?

The insurance industry is but one of many sectors waiting for Congress to act. Numerous measures affecting finance, agriculture, transportation, infrastructure, digitalization, public services and economic development remain pending. Businesses require certainty. Investors require predictability. Regulators require legislative support. Yet, instead of focusing on these pressing concerns, national attention has been consumed by political maneuvering, procedural disputes and questions surrounding the organization of the Senate itself.

The danger is not merely legislative delay. Democracies can survive gridlock. What they cannot easily withstand is institutional uncertainty.

Today, we face the unprecedented prospect of having what appears to be two competing claims to Senate authority. Questions surrounding leadership, procedures, quorum and the validity of actions taken by different factions have transformed what should be a respected constitutional body into a spectacle that has attracted ridicule both at home and abroad.

For foreign observers, this is difficult to explain. The Philippines has long prided itself on having functioning democratic institutions capable of resolving disputes through established rules. When those rules themselves become the subject of dispute, confidence inevitably suffers.

The Senate occupies a special place in our constitutional framework. It is intended to be the stabilizing chamber of Congress, insulated from political passions and capable of taking a longer view of national issues. It is not meant to be an arena where every disagreement escalates into a contest over legitimacy.

Meanwhile, the country’s problems continue to accumulate. Inflation remains a concern. Infrastructure projects require oversight. Regulatory reforms remain pending. Investors seek assurance that policy direction remains steady. Entire industries await legislative action that may now be delayed indefinitely.

Leadership ultimately means bringing institutions back to their core purpose. The nation needs a Senate focused on legislation, not self-preservation. It needs lawmakers debating policy rather than procedure. It needs Congress to remember that its constitutional duty is not to itself, but to the Filipino people. Because a nation can function with political disagreement. What it cannot afford is uncertainty over which Senate is actually the Senate.

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darren.dejesus@gmail.com.