And then there were 13.

Finally, some clarity emerged as the constitutional provision requiring the magic number — a majority of all 24 senators — to elect a new Senate President was followed. That is, 12 plus 1, with Sen. Joel Villanueva providing the anticipated vote, finally making the math “mathing.”

It doesn’t matter how Villanueva was recruited. Only an idiot will not know. In politics, personal survival takes precedence, as we witnessed the Senate pandemonium over the past few weeks.

Like many Filipinos, I too am exhausted by the back-and-forth, sometimes feeling disdain and at times acceptance. I don’t blame Sen. Joel Villanueva for choosing to tilt the balance in favor of Senate President Win Gatchalian and his group. Like Sen. Chiz Escudero, Villanueva has the right to make a personal choice. It was between him and his God so let’s leave it at that. Of course, both have been implicated in a multibillion-peso flood control project scandal, which made the choice much easier.

Unlike Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla, Escudero and Villanueva are terrified of imprisonment if the criminal charges against them proceed so both could have opted for a path that led them back to grace, not out of it.

With the new Senate appointments and a mix of familiar faces in committee leaderships, we must watch to see if these changes will yield substantial benefits for us or merely perpetuate existing practices.

While names and faces in leadership may change, the underlying dynamics often remain the same. Filipinos are understandably skeptical about whether these new developments will enhance transparency and lead to effective legislation.

Individuals usually fill committee memberships based on party loyalty, which does not always align with the public good. This loyalty can create significant obstacles to the proactive measures needed to tackle pressing issues such as poverty, healthcare and education. Still, we take our chances, no matter how bleak the situation may seem.

We must remain vigilant and demand accountability from our senators. The Senate can provide the direction for democracy, but it requires more than simply placing some checkered individuals in key roles. We have yet to see whether the changes will translate into good tidings or reinforce the status quo. But judging from some senators’ conduct during the recent Senate crisis, I have doubts about whether I should continue to hope.

Gatchalian is now the Senate President — officially, not just acting. He should enjoy the ride until the Supreme Court rules on the petition of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and his group. While it may be moot and academic for now, the ruling will determine whose lawyers should go back to law school.

Some senators’ terms will expire in two years, and new members will take their places. But if fate has its way, those in position may eventually face legal scrutiny again, even if no longer in power. I have seen enough, but I shall remain unfazed. There is always a judgment day, a day of reckoning for everyone in life and in politics.

For feedback, text to 09451450681 or email cynchdb@gmail.com