House neophytes De Lima, Diokno choose minority bloc

MANILA, Philippines — As they enter the House for the first time, Rep. Leila de Lima (ML Party-list) and Chel Diokno (Akbayan) have chosen to align with the minority bloc in the 20th Congress.

De Lima has since maintained that she wants to serve as a government “fiscalizer,” who scrutinizes the policies, programs and legislative agenda of the Marcos Jr. administration. 

Even when she and Diokno were offered to join the majority bloc, she previously said she always saw herself working as an independent or minority member.  

“Ang pinagusapan [namin] is that definitely, as [the] minority bloc, we will be fiscalizers,” she said in an ambush interview on Monday, July 7. 

(What we discussed is that, definitely, as the minority bloc, we will serve as fiscalizers.)

Diokno, meanwhile, said he believes the Akbayan party-list is best positioned in the minority bloc, where they can more effectively advocate for pertinent issues that are often overlooked.

“We want to really push for issues that we believe are very important for our people. And we believe that our place in the House is really in the minority,” he said in an ambush interview. 

ML and Akbayan party-lists, which make up four House members, are also among the 26 lawmakers backing Rep. Marcelino Libanan’s bid for minority leader in the 20th Congress. He was the minority leader in the 19th Congress. 

‘Not obstructionists’ 

But what role does a minority member really play?

De Lima explained that being part of the minority does not mean opposing the administration at every turn, but ensuring that its actions are checked, especially when they may harm marginalized groups or open the door to abuse.

“So ‘yun ang pinaka-core talaga ng role ng minority (That’s really the core role of the minority), but we also want to make it clear that we are not the kind of unreasonable minority,” she said. “In other words, we’re not going to be obstructionists.” 

If the proposed measures make sense and benefit Filipinos, then they will gladly support them, she said.

House leaders are typically elected during the first session of Congress, including the speaker, deputy speakers, and the majority and minority leaders along with their respective deputies. 

The majority bloc usually holds key committee posts and shapes the legislative agenda, with enough numbers to pass bills through a simple majority of a quorum. 

The minority, meanwhile, acts as the watchdog, with priority in interpellations during hearings, though still dependent on the majority to move legislation.

Time to assess

As the administration enters its final stretch, De Lima said the minority will be more exacting in reviewing progress on promises made during past State of the Nation Addresses (SONA), warning that the government can no longer expect leniency.

She also pointed out that the 20th Congress is crucial in examining whether legislation passed in the first half of the term has been effective, especially with the administration nearing the end of its mandate.

“We need to know what’s the status of those plans — alin doon ‘yung more or less successful, and which of those programs and policies of the… administration ang kailangan talagang i-push? And you know, we will call them out for their deficiencies,” De Lima said.  

(We need to know the status of those plans — which ones were more or less successful, and which of those programs and policies of the administration still need to be pushed. And, you know, we will call them out for their deficiencies.)

Impeachment. After winning House seats in the 2025 midterm elections, De Lima and Diokno were invited to fill two vacant posts on the prosecution panel for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

Their appointments to the 11-member team may be taken up by the plenary once session resumes on July 28, along with the possible reappointment of incumbent prosecutors.