GMA attends star-studded House orientation

MANILA, Philippines - Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo surprised many yesterday when she attended the star-studded orientation for new lawmakers at the House of Representatives, but she evaded journalists seeking to interview her.

Other neophyte congressmen who attended the four-hour seminar were Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao (Sarangani), former first lady Imelda Marcos (Ilocos Norte), actress Lani Mercado-Revilla (Cavite), television host Lucy Ann Torres-Gomez (Leyte), former police general Leopoldo Bataoil (Pangasinan), former Sen. Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa), former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap (Bohol) and former Arroyo spokesman Anthony Golez (Bacolod).

Wearing a sleeveless red dress, Mrs. Arroyo arrived about two hours late for the orientation and sat in the third row of the session hall beside Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Jaresco.

Some lawmakers, including Yap, Mandaluyong Rep. Neptali Gonzales, and La Union Rep. Victor Ortega, approached her and shook her hand.

After posing with other first-term congressmen, Mrs. Arroyo went around the hall and greeted some of her new colleagues but refused to answer questions from journalists following her.

At one point, a TV reporter tried to get an interview but she was able to evade him by ducking under a velvet cordon.

144 first-timers

Pacquiao wore a barong tagalog and was seated behind Torres-Gomez. Marcos wore a violet Filipiniana dress. Yap was seen conferring with Mrs. Arroyo.

There were 144 first-term lawmakers who attended the orientation led by House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap.

Gonzales, former congressman Junie Cua, and Ortega took turns briefing the new lawmakers.

Gonzales stressed the need for them to attend and participate in the sessions faithfully.

“Look at the person to your right, to your left, in front and back. I hope this is not the last time you will see each other,” he said. “The quorum will spell the difference whether this Congress will be effective or not.”

Ready for task

Pacquiao said he was ready to take on his role as a lawmaker and would file local bills to help Sarangani, like the setting up of a provincial hospital and college.

“I’m going to pass a law to require all barangays to have at least five hectares reforestation,” he said.

“I learned a lot from the orientation, it was so interesting. We were taught how to make the national budget, the proper behavior and language during plenary sessions and other important things and processes concerning Congress,” Pacquiao told The STAR.

Yap said he filed measures to help the agriculture sector while Marcos vowed to support bills that are “good for the people.”

Torres-Gomez said she will concentrate on “quality” instead of “quantity” in filing bills.

Productive House

Quezon City Rep. Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr., who is expected to be the next speaker, welcomed the new lawmakers and expressed optimism that the House in the 15th Congress would be very productive.

“They are new guys full of enthusiasm, full of new ideas, many of them are super qualified. They have been mayors, governors. They’ve got a whole lot of experience different from the usual experience of a congressman to bring to the table,” Belmonte said.

“That should be an important mix. I look forward in my capacity as the representative of the 4th district of Quezon City to working with all of them,” Belmonte added. - With Rose Tamayo-Tesoro