Editorial — Just more of the same

During a convention in Pasay City recently, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed his senatorial slate for the 2025 mid-term elections.

These are Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Makati Mayor Abby Binay, Senator Pia Cayetano, former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Senator Lito Lapid, Senator Imee Marcos, former senator Manny Pacquiao, Senator Bong Revilla, former Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senator Francis Tolentino, ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo, and House Deputy Speaker Camille Villar.

This brings us to our first point. Except for a few new faces, none of which are notable, the lineup is more of the same. And by the same we mean the same old traditional politicians many of us have become familiar with, and who have done nothing significant for Philippine legislature. So branding this lineup “Bagong Pilipinas” may be pushing it.

There’s also something else. Except for Pacquiao, all of them are from Luzon. There is practically no representation from other parts of the country. However, we cannot fault “Bagong Pilipinas” for this one as it would seem that no senatorial candidates from other parts of the country aside from Luzon have signified to throw their hat into the ring.

Which brings us to our second point. Perhaps it’s time to make senatorial representation by area or region again, as opposed to at large.

As frequently pointed out by a columnist in this newspaper, some small cities are overrepresented in the Senate. There are also members of practically the same family in the Senate as well. At any given time the Senate is usually dominated by people from just one part of the country, giving other areas of the Philippines a disadvantage when it comes to representation.

So, yes. We should again think seriously about rearranging the Senate in such a way that different areas of the country are adequately represented while others don’t get overrepresented.

But then again, making senatorial representation by region as opposed to at large will require amending the law again, and this will go through senators who may be more interested in preserving their power and their bailiwicks over anything else.