By Jillian Marielle Tiraña

In his first week in the session hall, newcomer Senator Robin Padilla revealed the difference in his colleagues' behavior when off-duty and during official session in an interview on July 28.


Photo Courtesy of ABS-CBN News/Senate of the Philippines


Padilla shared that senators would happily discourse in the Senate lounge using the Filipino language – different from their usual use of English in the session hall.

But once his colleagues step out of the lounge, the senator jokingly described his fellow legislators as becoming “possessed."

“Kasi Tagalog ang salita namin doon sa loob eh, paglabas doon Amerikano na lahat," the senator added.

Padilla had previously filed a measure which seeks for the use of Filipino and other regional languages in official government documents, including court rulings and enacted laws.

The senator cited Article 14, section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that both English and Filipino should be used for communication and instruction.

“Parang hindi patas para dun sa mga kababayan natin na ‘di ko naman sinasabing hindi nakakaintindi ng English ano kundi masyado kasing ‘yung may kinalaman sa batas,‘yung mga English niyan masyadong hindi mo talaga din maitindihan. Kailangan na talagang magkaroon ng parehas na pagtrato sa salitang Filipino at English," he explained.


Edited by Christine Gaile Dimatatac