Senate’s Top Absentee Is Alan Peter Cayetano
ALAN PETER CAYETANO – Senator Alan Peter Cayetano garnered the most number of absences in the Senate.
Senate records show that Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who once criticized President Bongbong Marcos for skipping the second vice presidential debate in the 2016 election campaign, is now the most frequently absent member in the chamber.
According to the Senate Legislative Journal Service, Cayetano, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, was present for only 36 out of the 54 regular plenary sessions from July 24, 2023, to Feb. 21 of the current year.
During his attendance, Alan Peter Cayetano arrived late on 16 occasions to the thrice-weekly sessions that typically commence at 3 p.m. Additionally, he was absent four times due to official trips abroad.
In 2017, Cayetano held the record for the highest number of absences in the Senate, attending only 31 session days from July 25, 2016, to May 31, 2017. During this period, he was away on official trips for more than half of the time.
Even when Cayetano was present in the Senate, he was late or arrived after the roll call on more than 10 occasions.
Notably, former lawmaker and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has also been identified as a prominent absentee, both in the House of Representatives as Sarangani representative and in the Senate.
Similarly, Sen. Pia Cayetano, the sister and colleague of Alan Peter Cayetano, was recorded as arriving late 16 times during Monday to Wednesday sessions, but she was absent only once in the second regular session of the 19th Congress.
Sen. Nancy Binay, who heads the Senate ethics committee, came in second to Alan Peter Cayetano with six absences, while Senators Francis Escudero and Juan Edgardo Angara both missed the plenary sessions five times.
Angara had to forego three session days as the leader of the Senate panel to the bicameral conference committee on the 2024 national budget.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri maintained a flawless attendance record, while two of his deputies, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, along with nine other colleagues, were present for all 54 session days.
“In my long years as a public servant, I have learned this one important thing: True leadership starts by showing up for the important work for the people. And here in the Senate, we take that to heart,” Zubiri said in a statement.
Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who maintained flawless attendance, emphasized the importance of being present during plenary sessions to express views, raise concerns, and propose amendments to bills and measures.
Other senators who also achieved perfect attendance include Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Sherwin Gatchalian, Christopher “Bong” Go, Risa Hontiveros, Robinhood Padilla, Ramon Revilla Jr., Raffy Tulfo, and Cynthia Villar.
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