Bangon Pilipinas lone senatorial candidate Eddie Villanueva on Friday said elected officials should treat their position like any other job, which demands performance and responsibility – not entitlements.
“Congressmen and senators should be mindful that they are working for the people, and the people are the ones paying for their salaries. We should keep in mind that a Senate post is just another job,” Villanueva said.
He noted that being a congressman or a senator is a job and not a position of entitlement where one receives gifts and other benefits that a normal Filipino worker does not receive.
Villanueva said congressmen and senators’ salary computation should be no different from regular employees and that tighter rules should be adopted for the allocation and disbursement of their office budget.
“Senators and congressmen should do no better than their employers – the Filipino people, and should receive the same treatment in compensation and benefits as their employers,” he added.
The candidate said congressmen and senators – like other government employees – are expected to adhere to common workplace rules on attendance and punctuality, pointing out that congressmen and senators only work a fraction of the regular employee’s work days a year.
“By my count, there are only about 50 session days in one Congressional session, versus a normal Juan Dela Cruz who works for more than 300 days a year,” Villanueva said.
No lump sum appropriations
Aside from instituting a no work/no pay policy and the adoption of the bundy clock or biometrics system to improve attendance, Villanueva also said both Houses of Congress should likewise revert to the old appropriation policy which reduces opportunities for corruption.
“In earlier Congresses, no lump sum appropriations are given for each Congressional office, and everything is liquidated to account for how the people's money is spent,” Villanueva said.
Reject any gifts
Upping the ante on suggestions to improve Congress’ accountability and probity, Villanueva also vowed to reject any offers of gifts both “in cash or in kind” if elected to office, and challenged fellow senatorial bets to publicly declare the same commitment.
Villanueva said rewards – financial or otherwise – should not be the main driver behind candidates’ decision to run for public office, adding that congressmen and senators should be the reminded of their role as servants of the people who are expected to perform their duties well.
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