August 8, 2016
Maraming maraming salamat po, Director Chief Ricohermoso, Jr.
Isang mapagpala at maulan na Lunes ng umaga po sa inyong lahat. At sa aking kapwa Bicolano at Bicolana, dios marhay na aga saindo gabos.
Akala ko po, maka-cancel na ang ating flag raising ceremony kasi ganoon kami sa DOJ noon. Kapag maulan ay naka-cancel dahil wala naman po kaming ganito na ka-open po doon sa DOJ.
First of all, I’d like to congratulate the newly elected Senate Secretary, Atty. Lutgardo Barbo, he’s just not around, probably na-traffic. Congratulations po to Atty. Barbo. To Atty. Barbo and the rest of the officers who are present today and the staff of the Senate Secretariat: thank you for having me today.
Isang karangalan po na makasama kayo ngayong umaga— kayong mga bago kong katrabaho, at higit sa lahat, kayong mga bago kong kapamilya. Maraming salamat po sa malugod ninyong pagtanggap sa akin dito sa Senado starting po noong July 1, which was the first day, which was my first day in office.
At malaking karangalan ko rin po na maging isang bahagi ng makasaysayang yugto ng Senado na nagdiriwang ng kanyang sentenaryo.
I feel very privileged that I’m one of the centennial Senators.
As many of you might know, this is my first entry into elective office. I’ve never been a member of the House of the Representatives or a member of the Senate. And while there are some other first time Senators, I consider myself as the most neophyte, having gone straight here straight from the Executive department.
And as some of you may remember, I’m used to appearing to the Senate before as a resource person, especially during budget hearings and investigations in aid of legislation. The most high profile of which are the inquiries into the PDAF scandal and the Mamasapano incident.
Alam niyo naman po na yung mga iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno, halos nandito po silang lahat, nakatambay silang lahat dito sa mga ganoong mga panahon, lalo na in the course of the budget deliberations.
So I have helped craft and implement policy, but I never had an experience as a lawmaker, crafting laws for the country.
Narito po kayo ngayon, karamihan po sa inyo, alam ko ay matagal na sa Senado. Ngayon pa lang, nagpapasalamat na kami sa inyong lahat, sa inyong tulong, sa inyong gabay, sa inyong pag-asikaso sa aming tanggapan. Alam niyo po, except for two to three lawyers, na mga datihan na ho dito, most of my staff, the legislative staff ay mga bagito rin at baguhan katulad ng kanilang Boss. So ngayon pa lang po, ako’y humihingi ng pasensya kung medyo nakukulitan po kayo sa ilan sa aking mga staff. Pero kung sumosobra na po sila, pwede niyo po silang isumbong sa akin.
Now, we might be new to each other, but we have long been bound or connected with our collective goals as public servants: to uplift the lives and dignity of the people, and to build a better future for our country.
We will face many challenges, whether as individuals or as institution. But, we can do much more if we help each other, we can do much more to overcome these challenges, and efficiently serve the people.
Ngayon pa lang po, ngayon at sa mga susunod pang mga taon, sana po magsilbi tayong lakas at inspirasyon sa bawat isa, tungo sa mas makabuluhang paninilbihan at paglilingkod sa sambayanang Pilipino.
Let us make our people proud of the Senate.
Muli, marami pong salamat sa inyo, have a great week ahead of you.