‘Order in the House!’

Sunday, 15 June 2008 03:10

Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap in managing the House of Representatives

While the two Houses of Congress perform similar tasks like passing laws and resolutions, and conducting hours-long hearings, the sheer size of the House of Representatives – with more than 200 members – makes the task of managing its secretariat affairs more daunting compared to the Senate. In our last Profile, we featured Senate Secretary Atty. Emma Lirio Reyes, the first woman to occupy the post. In this issue, we will feature Atty. Marilyn Barua-Yap, the first woman to be elected by House members as their Secretary General.

Prior to her election as Secretary General, Atty. Barua-Yap was the Deputy Executive Director of the Committee on Rules under now Speaker Prospero Nograles, who at that time was Majority Leader. Atty. Barua-Yap was elected as Secretary General shortly after Nograles assumed the Speakership in February 2008.

THE LOBBYiST (TL): Being the first woman Secretary General of the House of Representatives, how does it feel to be elected by the members of the Lower House who themselves are voted into office by the people?

Marilyn Barua-Yap (MBY): Siyempre masaya [Of course, I’m happy]. (Laughs) You feel happy because there are people who put their trust in you. But at the end of the day, it is also terrifying because if you’re serious with the job of Secretary General, it’s the most difficult job, aside from being the Speaker of this House.

You have to provide and manage not only the secretariat that provides all the services (that House members) need, but you also should be as involved as the congressmen themselves when it comes to certain issues that concern the House. Admittedly, there are unique peculiarities like in any other work place but the challenges here are more difficult if you are serious in getting the job done as Secretary General. For me, I’m not usually desk-bound. Makulit akong tao [I’m very persistent] – short of being obsessive compulsive. If you give me a job, I make sure I do it well because there’s no use doing a job if you don’t do it the best way you can.

How do I feel up to this part? Masaya pero grabe ang angst [It’s fun but it’s also hard] because there’s compulsion to fulfill people’s expectations and iba-iba ang expectations [everyone has different expectations]. At the end of the day, the most fearsome is your expectations of yourself. And I expect too much from myself. Kaya kapag hindi ko kaya, di ko rin pinapasok [I don’t enter into something I know I can’t do].

Even if you ask Speaker (Nograles) or the other people here, I’ve been nominated or suggested by most of my colleagues. I’m not one of those who go around following the congressmen to advertise myself; you can ask around.

TL: How were you convinced to accept the position?

MBY: Somebody told me “put your money where your mouth is.” Kasi pag may mga meeting nagsasabi ako na sana may ganito, sana ayusin to, sana gawin natin to [Whenever there are meetings, I always talk about things that need to be changed]. Sabi nila, “So why don’t you try to do it now?” But I still said, perhaps somebody else can do a better job. Kasi masaya na ang buhay ko dito (House Committee on Rules) dati eh [I was happy with my previous job here]. Masaya in a sense na komportable ka na sa trabaho ng Committee on Rules [Happy in a sense that I was comfortable with what I was doing]. You serve the members, about 30 people at one time. They serve as the clearinghouse of the House. You provide them with policy studies, you give advice, indications on certain policy issues, how the rules should be applied, how to manage the debate on the floor, things like that. I became comfortable doing that. I tried to be good at that.

Beyond that, I write, I study, I teach sometimes. Masaya na buhay ko in other words. (Laughs) Ewan ko kung bakit ko pinasok to [I don’t really know why I decided to accept this position]. (laughs) This is not a tenured job. You are elected for a term. If the Speaker changes, and they want another one, they can change me as easily. Hindi kagaya nung dati kong lugar [Unlike my previous position], they cannot kick me out because I have civil service eligibility. They can float me if they don’t like me, but they cannot take me out so I was more secured even if I wanted to retire at the age of 65.

But at the end of the day, maybe one of the factors (why I accepted the position) is Speaker Nograles kasi iba siya kaysa sa nakikita sa media [He is different from what you see in media]. Ang maganda kasi sa kanya pragmatic siya, di siya nambobola sa tao [I like that he’s pragmatic and he’s not trying to fool the people]. He does not promise things he cannot do well and he can tell it to your face. He’s a straight shooter. Kaya kapag sinabihan ka niya na “pwede mo ba kong tulungan?” di yun nagbibiro, nagpapatulong talaga yan. Yun ang maganda sa kanya. Tsaka nung naging boss ko siya, nakikinig. Di ba merong iba na parang hirap na hirap kang pumasok? He encourages na sabihin mo yung totoo! Di ka matatakot kung mali [If he asks for your help, he really needs your help. That’s what’s good about him. Also, he encourages you to speak your mind]. That’s why I think he’s one of the reasons that made me decide (to accept). Kasi ganun din ako, hindi ako nakikipagbolahan. Nakiki-relate ako pero I don’t encourage na paikot-ikot tayo tapos at the end of the day, hindi rin pala yun ang lalabas [I’m not the type of person who keeps running around and then at the end of the day, we don’t really accomplish anything].

TL: What do you think are the challenges that women of today face in your profession?

MBY: Pare-pareho ang challenges ng lahat ng babae, whether Sec Gen siya o kung saan mang profession siya. Kasi may role and assignment ang society for us – ang akala lang nila ang kaya naming gawin ay magpasuso at magpalaki ng anak. Or, hindi nalang yun ang role mo, dagdagin natin – kailangan mo magpasuso at magpalaki ng anak, mag-ayos ng bahay pero kailangan mo rin magtrabaho [All women have the same challenges in any profession. Society used to say that women’s role is to breastfeed and rear the children or in some cases, they breastfeed, rear the children, keep the household in order and still need to work]. And you should do these things well at all times.

There are expectations but I think we all face the same challenges. And because of those expectations, when you get a higher management position, it’s not as easily accepted as when a man gets it. Ganun pa rin naman, kapag lalaki they’ll say, “ah kasi dati ng manager yan, ok na sila dyan” pero kapag babae, you’ll hear “ay naku!” [It’s still the same, if a guy gets the job, they’ll say ‘oh, he got it because he used to be a manager. But if a woman gets it, you’ll hear some saying ‘oh my’]. Even when we say we have done away with many prejudices and biases, it’s still there. I don’t want to call it discrimination because it’s also cultural; it’s embedded that you expect different things from women and different things from men. That’s the challenge here.

My biggest problem here, at least initially I think, is that I was a junior officer and suddenly I am now the one giving orders and directing certain actions or policies related to management. Syempre yung mga sanay na, maninibago [Of course those who are used to the old ways, will have to adjust]. But at the end of the day, siguro naman nakikita nila hindi mo naman personal ito, trabaho lang. At saka hindi ka naman namamalahura or nang-aapi ng tao [They’ll see that it’s nothing personal, it’s just a job. And they’ll know you’re not out there to abuse them]. Hahahaha! I think it’s the same process: you have to earn their respect. Hopefully, I will. But it doesn’t really matter as long as you get the job done, but that’s me. Sec-Gens have a short life and by 2010 you’re done.

TL: Related to that, do you think women would make a better secretary general than men?

MBY: Hindi naman, huwag naman. Magiging reverse sexism yun di ba? Nasa tao yun [We shouldn’t say that, that would be reverse sexism. It really depends on the person]. Gender doesn’t matter in terms of getting something done. It’s how you look at the work, how you do the work and how you get people do the work with you. There has to be no other consideration, no gender, just the law. Although, sometimes when I talk to myself, there are certain qualities that I think I possess so they can do a better job. Mas makulit ang babae [Women are more persistent]. We pay attention to little details. Most men do not usually pay attention to little things. I think in this job, malaking bagay ang maliliit na bagay [In this job, small things are really big things].

TL: What are the innovations you’re trying to introduce in the Lower House?

MBY: First of all, it’s not an innovation; it’s a necessity. Kapag sinabi mo kasing innovation, parang bago [If you say it’s an innovation, it connotes something new]. But ang importante dito yung pagalingin mo yung support services para sa congressman [But the important thing here is to strengthen the support services for congressmen]. And make the House more accessible to the public. Ang innovation doon, buksan mo. Pwede pumasok sa committee at makisali. Pwedeng tumulong sa proceeding. Pwede mag-observe. Karamihan kasi hindi naiintindihan itong legislation [The innovation there is you open the House to the public. You can enter into committee hearings and participate. You can help with the proceedings. You can observe. Many people don’t understand the legislative process].

Also, we’re starting to automate our processes. Mag-oonline kami, magfa-file kami ng bill dito, pwede rin kami mag-amend dito [We’re starting an online legislation where we can file and amend bills over the Internet]. We are putting in the foundation for e-legislation, so that congressmen will now have an option to file their bills online. At the same time, if the legislative process goes online, then people will also look up the process online. Can you imagine the synergy? But we are not starry-eyed that in a year, we can do all that. The House has intra-connectivity to connect all support services. For example, I’m the congressman, equipped dapat ako [I should be equipped]: I can access Bills and Index; I can file (bills); I can access copies; I can recommend; I can give comments. That’s where I need support services: I can access the Reference Bureau; I can tell them to give me something on this, and they will give it to me.

We have intra-connection inside but we also need to establish connection outside. Dapat itong sistemang ito mapasok rin ng publiko para makita nila yung proseso [The public should have access to this system so they can see the process]. Kasi pinaka-importante sa’kin ang proseso: kapag ang tao hindi nakakaintindi ng proseso, hindi mo siya mapapaliwanagan ng resulta. Kahit anong gawin mo, hindi niya maiintindihan yun [For me, process is very important: if a person does not understand the process, you cannot explain the result. Whatever you do, he cannot understand that]. Like the issue on tax relief for individuals, nobody really understands its dynamics. Ang nakita lang nila Php50,000 ang maximum per dependent pero hindi nila nakita bakit nag-peg at that amount. Sabi ng isa “dapat Php150,000, dapat Php200,000” pero bakit nagpunta dito [What people saw is the Php50,000-exemption per dependent but they didn’t see why it was pegged at that amount. One suggests “Php150,000, Php200,000” but why was it pegged there]?

They have to understand the policy process. Pag nakita mo ang polisiya, magkakaroon ng kahit papaano greater support for legislation and there’s a synergy of both the people and what we call the government. Habang wala yan, palaging at odds [If you see the policy process, there will be some sense of greater support for legislation, and there will be a synergy of both the people and what we call the government. As long as it’s not there, the two are always at odds against each other].

For example, our website. Lalakihan naming ang capacity na hindi lang yung mga usual na nakukuha nyo ngayon. Makukuha na rin dyan per committee. Magkakaroon ng page ang bawat committee [We’ll increase its capacity so that aside from the usual things you get in the website, you can access resources per committee. Each committee will have its separate pages]. You want to know about the committee chairperson? Ano mga pinagsasabi nila [What they are saying]? We will have that. So if we have something like 50 regular committees and 12 special committees, you will have all access to them. That’s the vision for 2010. You want to talk to your congressman, they will all have web pages. We already started that; they have their own email addresses. You want to interact with them, put it on the web, call them.

That special issue against congressmen, the PDAF or “pork barrel”, we’re putting them on the website. Kung anong nakuha mo sa allocation? Saan mo nilagay? Sino ang implementing agency? Ano yung binili mo? Ano yung pinagawa mo? Nakalagay dyan [How much is allocated to each congressman? Where is the money spent? Who’s the implementing agency? What was bought? What did you do with the money? Everything will be put there]. We’re hoping to do it before (the State of the Nation Address) SONA. For me, the most crucial part is SONA. If you can’t put in the pillars of things you want to change within 4-6 months of your term, that’s problematic. For the SONA, kailangan malabas na yung PDAF sa website. Pwede na rin makita ang Session Bulletins. For example, yung nangyari kahapon sa session, ngayon makikita mo na dyan, meaning na-summarize na siya. Kaya kung ikaw ay nagsusulat, may guide ka na kung interesado ka on anything that is there [Session Bulletins will also be available. For example, things that happen in the session yesterday will be summarized and made available online today. If you’re writing about the House, you will now have a guide on what interests you]. It’s already easy to get.

Dinagdagan din namin ang laman ng website kasi gusto namin by December, gusto naming yung capacity niya mas malaki [We added content in the website because we want that by December, it has a bigger capacity]. Speaker (Prospero) Nograles wants media coverage in the House as part of his transparency agenda. As a policy, he has opened the entry of media entities broadcasting in real time, at least the proceedings. So he has opened the door to media. They want to cover committee meetings? They want to cover the plenary? Let’s just talk about the ground rules. I think it’s also part of the idea of enhancing performance kasi sinasabi nila kapag natutukan ng kamera ang congressman, naga-grandstand na [because they say that when congressmen are infront of cameras, they tend to grandstand]. It also compels them to perform better and to be prepared. There’s an encouragement to speak sense. I think that’s the idea.

Another thing is our backlog up to the 9th Congress. We are required to publish after every end of session a compilation of all the laws and resolutions that have been passed. We have to also publish the records of all the proceedings of the House. These are the backlog of previous congresses and previous secretary generals up to 9th Congress. We’re fast-tracking them for this coming SONA. We’re in the process of digitizing records from the 5th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th Congress, including all laws and resolutions. By March 2009, matatapos natin yung records, mawawala yung backlogs [we’ll be finished with the records, the backlogs will be gone]. So that’s a big thing for us.

Ay pero may gusto akong sabihin sa management dito. Sa akin malaking bagay yun. Hindi ba sa bureaucracy ng gobyerno pag minsan kapag political institutions like this, yung emotions ng tao. Karamihan nag-uunahan kasi ni-recommend ng ganito. Kaya marami dito sa amin na organic personnel na magagaling naman, may qualifications, may mga masterals at 20 years na dito. Samantalang yung mga bagong pasok, hala! Kinukuha ang top positions. [I just want to mention the changes in management here. For me, it’s a big thing. Before, those who come in because of the recommendations of certain people are given the top positions over our organic personnel who are just as qualified].

Pero ngayon di naming ginawa yun. Kinuha naming lahat ng vacant positions, tiningnan naming lahat ng kanilang profiles in less than a month. Lahat! Ano ang mga qualifications? Gaano sila katagal dito, overtime nila. Matrix lahat yan! Then inakyat naming lahat yan. Lahat ng vacant positions na pwede nilang maupuan, pinwesto naming lahat ng mga qualified. Para makita nila yung idea na may progress, may merit [Today, that sort of thing doesn’t happen anymore. We looked at all the vacant positions and the profiles of our people. We filled those vacancies with qualified individuals so they can see the idea of progress, of merit].

So ang promotions and hiring work ng House for the past how many congresses, hindi regular at tsaka hindi open ang proceedings. May bakante ba? May na-appoint na ba? Pwede ba pumasok? They were not as informed. With us, as required by civil service, lagay mo dyan kung ano mga bakante. If open, mag-apply. Kung may recommendation ka, pumasok ka. Ang backlog ng selection board leads back up to the previous two congresses. Yung mga nag-aaply ng promotions. We only had two meetings so far. Naka-process kami mahigit 144 promotions. So as of now, masaya sila. For the first time, nakatikim sila ng promotion. Yung mga tumanda ng contractual, same lang naman ginagawa, di pa rin nare-regularize. Most of them are in their right places [Previously, we didn’t really know which positions are vacant. People were not as informed. Today, we’re clearing the backlog of the previous congresses. For the first time, our people from within the organization now know how it feels like to be promoted].

Di pa rin perpekto, meron pa ring mga naiiwan. But if we judge it at a scale of 1-10, I think we’re at an 8. And we’re happy because wala pa kaming tatlong buwan ni Speaker. Meron pang break, meron pang kwaresma. Ok naman. Mabilis ang mga tao. Masaya ako sa nangyari dun [It’s still not perfect, but on a scale of 1-10, I’d give it an 8. We’re very happy with what’s happened considering we’ve only been here for three months]. But at the end of the day, kung ang Speaker di sinusuportahan ang ginagawa sa secretariat, kung wala kang push [if the Speaker doesn’t support what we do and there’s no push] and he doesn’t say he supports the initiatives that you do, I think it would have been difficult to as much in such a short time. So I give him credit because that’s really how the work was done.

TL: How would you characterize your relationship with the younger members of the House?

MBY: I was fortunate to be here at the Committee on Rules. And to have majority leaders who want to have a mix of new and old bloods. I started with (now ERC Chairman) Congressman Rodolfo Albano. Si Congressman Rudy, ang sakit nun gusto niya parating may batang tinuturuan [Congressman Rudy always wants to have a younger congressman to teach]. Nung nag-majority leader siya, yung Committee on Rules niya, gusto niya may bata at matanda [When he was majority leader, he wants both young and old congressmen in the Committee on Rules]. Pag gumagawa siya ng Committee every year, kasi pag minsan pinapalitan, binabalanse niya yung bata tsaka yung matanda para nagshe-share sila ng tinatawag na institutional memory or experiences, kasi kapag Rules may mga dynamics yan [When he constitutes the Committee every year – because sometimes we change membership – he balances the younger ones with the older members so that the share what is called the institutional memory or experiences because in Rules, there’s a certain dynamic].

You can only learn through practice or from the veterans. I was fortunate that that was Congressman Rudy’s style. So from (now Senator) Mar Roxas to (now Deputy Majority Leader) Neptali Gonzales, palaging may mix [there’s always a mix]. And because of that, you have the opportunity to work with them, to teach them, and to help them grow in the organization. That’s why I have no problem with the members. Naswertehan ko yan, yung mga batang tumanda ngayon, sila (Senator) Chiz (Escudero), (Senator) Alan Peter Cayetano, nung napunta sila dito, mga boy scout pa, (laughs) and now they’re grown ups [I’m lucky to have worked with the young congressmen who are now senators, they used to be our boy scouts, now they’ve grown].

TL: How about the older, more pragmatic members?

MBY: I think it’s wrong to say that they’re pragmatic. Sa’kin hindi accurate yun [That’s not accurate]. Of course meron talaga na super pragmatic na, it’s a healthy need eh. Marami ka ring bata na anong idealismo ang pinagsasasabi mo? Maraming bata rin ang very practical [There really are those who are very pragmatic. But there are also some who think what idealism are you talking about? Others, meanwhile, are very practical].

You know why? We have a mix here of some congressmen who belong to a long line of political families and you don’t expect them to be that idealistic. Hindi ba alam na nila how they grew in a place, in this environment and they know the dynamics of how politics is usually played now. Some learned the pragmatic side and learned certain ways along the way. So hindi yung parang young, idealistic. At saka may napakadami nilang political persuasions. Hindi ka pwedeng magsabi ngayon na progressives lang [There are many political persuasions now, you can’t just be progressive or young and idealistic]. And they have different approaches in different things.

The nice thing is when you see them, despite their differences, they come together to agree on a certain issue. And usually ang agreement nila, nagba-bonding lang sila, nagiging friends sila. Kaya dito yung sinasabi mo na nagbubugbugan sa floor, nagpapatayan na sila, yung magkaaway talaga sa issue [They really bond and become friends even when they don’t agree on certain issues on the session floor]. Outside the session hall, they are good friends.

TL: How do you balance their differences?

MBY: Mag-consistent ka lang sa serbisyo. Ang sa akin, kapag nandito ka na sa secretariat, huwag mong akalain na minsan na kapareho ka ng congressman, hindi ka congressman. Kumbaga sa pelikula, ang actor dito ay congressman. Bahay ito ng congressman. Kami, magbibigay lang kami ng serbisyo sa congressman [You just need to be consistent with your service. If you’re in the secretariat, don’t think like you’re a congressman because you’re not. We’re here to assist them].

Ang pulitika ipe-play out ng congressman kasi [Politics is played out by the congressmen because] they’re the ones representing the people. Kami public servants [We, on the other hand, are public servants]. So as long as you have that consciousness, when you look at them, there’s no majority, there’s no minority, there’s no left, there’s no progressive, there’s no center, there’s no Lakas, etc. and consistent ang pagbigay mo ng serbisyo [you’re service should always be consistent]. Kung binigyan mo ng ganitong serbisyo si (Congressman) Satur (Ocampo of Bayan Muna Partylist), bigay mo rin sa iba [If you give a particular type of service to Congressman Satur, you must give the same type of service to the rest]. If you give this to the majority leader, give it to minority leader too.

Of course there’s a realization that this House works where democratic politics plays out, and it belongs to the majority kasi sila ang nakakarami. They have the numbers. And most of the time, because of their number mas maraming serbisyo ang binibigay mo [you provide them more service] simply because they demand more.

But in terms of quality of response ng services, mabilis dapat, parehong mabilis, parehong maayos, parehong maasahan, parehong mapagkakatiwalaan yung ibibigay mong serbisyo [you need to be fast, efficient and trustworthy]. Kasi pag hindi [If not], what’s the point? So it’s not a matter of balancing. Alam mo dapat ang papel mo dito [You should know your place]. Pero kung nagpantasya ka na kapareho ka nila [if you think you’re equals], then you will start thinking of balancing. Kasi if you think you’re a congressman, then you might say “Ah, mas friends ko ang majority. Ah, mas friends ko yung minority.” It cannot be that way.

TL: How do you feel about the perception that compared to the House, the Senate is more famous even when the members of the Lower House are actually the ones closer to their constituents?

MBY: I think it’s unfair. Di ko alam kung bakit [I don’t know why]. Pero I think it’s a matter of numbers. Mas madali kasing maintindihan ang [It’s easier to undertand] 23 kaysa [than] 240. Here’s one example I’m going to tell you, nabubugbog ang House sa pork barrel ng congressmen that doesn’t even exceed P40-70 million a year [The House really took a beating on the issue of pork barrel]. And kahit ano pang sabihin mo na ninanakaw yan o pinapakialaman yan, may specific na distrito na dapat puntahan na pwede mong i-verify [No matter what they say about congressmen using those funds, there’s a specific district where the money should go and this can be verified]. Same thing if you want exact accountability, there’s a particular place where you can go to and say “talaga bang merong dinala [did it really get there]?” so meron siyang mapuputahan [there’s a way to check]. You compare it to a senator, he gets more than P200 million or even as high as P500 million a year. Why don’t you exert the same accountability for senators? I-total mo man yan dito sa House [Check the total]. In terms kung saan niya dinadala yung pera niya [where he/she brought the money]. Laki ng naiipasok niya sa budget niya as his PDAF, as his pork barrel, compare mo sa senator, ang layo [Compare their PDAF budgets, there’s a big difference].

Look at the budget of the House and the Senate. We have 240 members here; we have a 3,000-strong secretariat plus the congressional staff. There you have 24 senators; they only have half of our secretariat numbers or support staff. Look at the budget. There’s not even P500 million. So in terms of peso, cost per peso, service per peso, sino ang mas [who is more] efficient in the utilization ng pera [of the money], the House or the Senate?

Palaging binubugbog ang Kongreso sa [The Lower House is always hit in the] chambers when it comes to pork barrel. Pero pag tinotal mo ang buong [But when you compute the] pork barrel, di lalampas yan sa [it will not exceed] P20 billion or P10 billion. I-total mo. I ask you, for one department in the executive branch alone, let’s say the Department of Education, it gets more than P180 billion a year. Why don’t you ask where it’s going?

TL: Maybe on teacher salaries?

MBY: Really? All of it? Kaya nga dapat yan ang gawin ng tao [That’s what people should check]. Teacher’s salaries, how much? School buildings? How many school buildings did you build this year that cost you this much? Department of Agriculture, how many bags of fertilizer? You should ask these things. Yun ang sinasabi natin dito [That’s what we’re saying here]. Don’t stop asking from your congressman, you should continue asking your congressman and senators, how much did you get? Where did you spend your money? But ask as much from your executive departments.

Because at the end of the day, from the big pie of government finances that is available to officials of government, the pie of Congress is not even 10 percent of the total budget. The pie of Congress is about 2.5-2.7 percent of the total budget pie. So if you’re getting this thing, at ang niche nyo sa online information thing, look at it from a macro perspective. Walang nagbibigay niyan [Nobody gives that information]. Para sa amin, punta ka sa DPWH, mayroon daw niyan, may online niyan na makikita ang DBM kung san napupunta ang PDAF ng congressman. May allocations [If you go to DPWH, there’s information on where the PDAF goes. There are allocations]. But for the implementing agency, kung di nyo makuha sa DBM or sa implementing agency, ilalabas naming ito sa website [If you can’t get it from them, we will post it on our website]. Kaya kung di nyo makuha sa implementing agency, come to our website sabi ni Speaker [The Speaker said if you can’t get it from the implementing agencies, visit our website]. Para mawala na yung mga kung ano man yan [To erase any suspicions]. Give it to them. They will ask more questions if you keep this (kind of information). Give it to them. If they have suspicions, let them have suspicions. You know the account, ikaw ang [you’re the] congressman. Go to them and answer them. Yan ang latest niya [That’s his latest]. Unlike before na ang PDAF di mo alam kung magkano ba, hindi lalabas yan [Unlike before when you have no information about their PDAF, it’s not going to come from them]! Kakalat yan sa website [It will now be disseminated]. Hindi ako ang may pakana niyan, siya [That’s (the Speaker’s) initiative].

Tapos dati yung mga deputy speakers pang ceremonial lang dito sa amin. Ngayon hindi na, may mga assignments na [Before, our deputy speakers were there merely for ceremonial purpose. Now, they have their respective assignments]. May anim kaming deputy speakers, dati pang-front lang, parang pang-ceremonial lang, no. Mayroon siyang isu-supervise na number of committees [They now have to supervise a number of committees]. May target yan na bills na dapat palabasin per committee, may targets yan [They have targets to meet]. Kailangan mag-meeting yan. Tapos itong bawat cluster ng committee per deputy speaker, may nakasaksak na secretariat assistance [They need to meet and each cluster under a deputy speaker has a secretariat to assist them]. So anytime, pag sinabi niya eto lahat ng mga bills na lumabas, sabihin nyo sa’kin kung bakit di nyo matatapos [They have to know which bills were passed and the reasons why some bills are still pending]. Ganun ngayon ang sistema. Meron silang mga assignments. Kaya medyo nawiwirduhan din yung mga iba [That’s the new system. They have their own assignments now so the others feel a bit weird about it]. (Laughs)

TL: How would you characterize this Congress?

MBY: Eto, mas okay. Kung dati mga nakabarong, ngayon si Speaker parang bugoy, mas down-to-earth. Sasabihin niya talaga sa iyo yung bottomline. Kaya ang hallmark niya is performance, transparency, and accountability. That’s it. Ang performance, may target na while ang transparency dapat may access. Kaya tingnan mo nakapasa kami ng Freedom of Access to Information. Ilang ulit yan na-file pero ngayon na-pass na. Accountability, answer your constituents, hindi ka magtatago, sagutin mo. I will not give you press releases to answer everything. Ganun siya, so ganun din kami dito. [It’s better. Before people would be in the Barong Tagalog, but Speaker is very simple, down to earth. He will tell you what he wants. His hallmark is performance, transparency and accountability. For him, you should be accountable to your constituents].

TL: What particular quirks of congressmen do you find endearing and annoying?

MBY: Endearing, marami. Karamihan sa kanila maalaga. Kung hindi naman maalaga, easy to talk to. Unlike yung sa iba, yung sinasabi nila na mahirap pakiusapan [They have many endearing qualities. Many of them are nice and easy to talk to, unlike what other people say that it’s hard to ask them about something]. Most of them are very conscious of what are expected to them. So they always try to put their best foot forward.

For me, it’s good if you try to always show the best in you. But on the other side, malakas ang demand, makulit. Gusto nila kung kailangan nito, ngayon na. Kakaunti yung mga nakakapag-intay [However, they’re also demanding. When they want something, they want it now. It’s very rare to find someone who’s willing to wait]. Maybe because of the phase of their jobs, their lifestyles; they can’t afford to wait. You have to assure them always na pinapansin mo sila at saka di ka namimili kung sino yung pinapansin mo [You just make sure you give them your attention and not play favorites].

Almost all of them, so far we haven’t had problems. Yung mga sinasabi nila before na mga difficult congressman, they are our friends dito. Wala kaming problema [We haven’t had problems even with the ones who some say are difficult].

TL: What’s your typical day like?

MBY: Wala na akong typical day. Gumising, i-check kung buhay ba lahat ng aking mga kasambahay? (laughs) Wala bang may problema? May pagkain ba? Di ba yung usual na mga nanay nyo. May mga sakit ba? Kailangan tapusin mo muna yun bago ka pumasok [I no longer have a typical day. When I wake up, I just make sure everything is okay at home, with my kids]. Ang typical day ko ngayon? Unlike before, because I have to come here at least 8 o’clock in the morning and my regular early arrival at home is 10:30 in the evening, pinakamaaga ko na yun [that’s the earliest]. Ang Saturdays and Sundays, kailangan ko i-spend sa mga anak ko [Weekends are sacred, I spend them with my kids].

TL: Do you still find time to relax? Do have any hobbies?

MBY: (Laughs) Hobby ko, magluto, Sabado’t Linggo. Magbasa, manood ng sine. Movie buff ako. To relax, i-master mo yung cat naps. Di ba kapag medyo may lull, sara mo konti yung pintuan, 10 minutes, tama na [I like to cook every Saturday and Sunday. I read, watch movies. I’ve mastered the art of cat naps – just 10 minutes during lull time and you’ll feel better]. Sometimes I go home to Ilocos, maybe at least once every two months, to visit my mother. Nakakapagpahinga ka talaga kapag umuwi ka sa pinanggalingan mo, kahit napapagod ka masaya yun. Nakaka-recharge. Naggagantsilyo ako, ayan (pointing to cross stitching), occupational therapy yan. Wala ng iba. [You really get to rest when you go back to the place where you came from, you get to recharge. I also cross stitch].

TL: If ever the leadership changes by 2010, what will be your next career move?

MBY: Baka magturo, manggulo ng mga anak ko [Maybe I’ll teach or spend time with my kids] (Laughs). No, I think, maybe kung meron sa mga kaibigan kong nandyan at kailangan ng serbisyo [Maybe if any of my friends need my service, I will help out]. If there’s one thing I learned here, it’s that I can’t control what’s going to happen. When I was younger, I was obsessive compulsive. I still am but not as bad as I used to be. I had this idea that I can plan out my life – at this age or at that age, I will have this. When I grew older, I realized that we don’t control anything. Nothing at all. All you have is faith. I tried to be this, hoped for the best and tried to do my best. But at the end of the day, you only have the moment you have.

Kasi may nakita na ako na namatay just like that [I’ve seen someone die just like that]. Yung aha! Pwede pala yun mangyari. Most recent, yung bomba dito. Kakakausap ko lang kay (late Basilan Representative) Wahab (Akbar) [The realization that “aha!” things can happen so fast like the bombing here. I was just talking to Wahab before the bombing happened]. It’s a realization that you don’t hold anything, you have nothing. You don’t even have time on your side. You can’t control time. You go to the bathroom and who knows? That’s how it is. You survive on faith.

Ginagawa ko na lang – sort of sounding like your evangelist on TV although di naman ako palasimba, I give it up. Wala kang angst, di ka masyadong tense. I give it up. I do my best pero at the end of the day, do with me what you will [What I do is just “give it up” so that you don’t get too tensed].

Kasi ang ginawa sa akin dito, milagro na ito eh. Nakaupo lang ako dito eh, deputy executive director lang ako dito at mas maganda buhay ko dito dahil hindi ako ginugulo. [What happened to me here is like a miracle because I’m just quietly doing my work here in the committee]. The problem of policies is yours, but this is what I specialize in. It’s a nice place. Bigla kang pipikit and then they will give you big responsibilities. At the end of the day, bakit nga ba hindi? Um-oo ka eh. No matter how you explain, um-oo ka eh, tinanggap mo eh, might as well [All of a sudden, they gave you these big responsibilities. But since I said yes, I should do my best].

In 2010, if there’s a place for me, I think it (opportunity) will look for me. I’m not going to look for it. Since I graduated from college, I never looked for a job. Ginawa ng Diyos at binigay sa’yo. Dati hindi ako naniniwala dyan. [God has decided and gave it to me, I didn’t use to believe that]. Corny. (giggles) I think maybe, just simply discern and you will find your way to things and you’re not going to get confused. And that’s the best lesson I learned at 53. Kayong mga bata pa kayo, relax lang [For the younger generation, you need to relax]. Kasi ako, I think wasted too much time. You should have seen me when I was younger.

TL: Do you see yourself running for public office?

MBY: (laughs) Excuse me, wala akong pera. kung ano ang sweldo ko, yun na yung sweldo ko. Anong akala mo ibibili ko ng polyeto? Hindi! At tsaka masaya na ang buhay ko. At tsaka yung mga tumatakbo ng political office, you must really love doing it. Tama na ‘to, yung tumutulong sa pulitiko [No. Whatever I earn is from my salary. And I’m not going to use my salary to buy flyers. And those who run for political office, they must really love doing it. I’m happy with my life and with helping the politicians].

Ang pinaka-personal na public service ko siguro is yung magkaroon ng kahulugan ang buhay ko beyond my home and my family. Kagaya nung idea na kahit hindi nilagay yung pangalan mo, nakapag-input ka pa rin. Kaya palagay ko kapag nag-retire ako, at wala akong magawang ganyan, manunuluntoy ako, mamatay ako sa basura [My personal public service would probably be to make sure that I contribute something beyond what I offer my family. For example, when I give an idea, even if I’m not recognized for it, it’s the feeling of knowing that I made a contribution that satisfies me. I think if I don’t have that kind of activity when I retire, I’ll die]. (laughs)

TL: Who’s your life’s hero?

MBY: Tatay ko, Tatay ko hindi public official pero yung tatay ko kasi kahit mahirap, ang ambition niya maging everything, maging renaissance man. Kailangan kahit mahirap ka, kahit konti lang ang ano mo, dapat you lay your hand on everything. Nagbabasa yan, nagkakarpintero, nagpipinta, nagluluto. [My father. He’s not a public official and he’s not rich but he’s ambition is to be a renaissance man – someone who knows something about everything. He never wants to be idle. He reads, he does carpentry work, he paints, he cooks]. You have to learn as much in your lifetime as you can.

Hindi pwede yung “kasi abogado ako, dito na ako”. Hindi pwede yun sa kanya. Kino-compress niya lahat ng bagay. Kumbaga sa flash drive, the more na isaksak mo the better. Tsaka walang kahihiyan yun. Ang ibig kong sabihin, hindi siya self-conscious. Yung iba “di ko pwede ko gawin yun” pero siya, “Eh bakit? Pwede sila, pwede rin ako.” [With him, you should not box yourself into a certain category. He’s not self-conscious. If others say they can’t do it, he’s the opposite. He always says that if other people can do it, he should be able to do it too].

Pero hindi ako ganun. At that area, medyo nakakaabante siya kaysa sa akin kasi kapag minsan meron akong insecurities. Kasi ako “parang hindi ko yata kaya”. I have much of that. Pero siya hindi. Tsaka yung tatay ko, siya ang nakita kong walang role modeling. Nagluluto yan, naglalaba ng lampin. Kung kailangan sa umaga siya ang magluto ng almusal, he doesn’t care. Gagawin niya. [That’s where we differ. I’m the type who thinks that maybe I can’t do something. Also, he’s the type who steps up – not a care in the world of what role a man or woman should play in society. If he needs to cook or wash the diapers, he’ll do it].

TL: What are the lessons you’ve learned in life so far?

MBY: Like what I said, just give it up. It’s nice to plan but don’t stick to it as if it’s written on stone. Learn to adapt. I like the Jewish saying, “Live each day as if it’s the last day of your life”, dapat wala kang [you should have no] regrets. If you can say I love you today, say it. You have to have that consciousness because you’re not God; you’re not immortal. So make it count, the best way you can. Make each day count. Enjoy life. Create as little opportunities for you to regret anything but not to the point that you become paranoid ha. The solution there is not to take anything for granted. Not your husband, not you mother, not your wife, not your co-workers, not the person you meet on the road, just make sure you do not take anything for granted. Keep that in your mind, and your wife will be happy with you. Even your neighbors will be happy with you, I think. You’ll have less enemies in life. And for me, if you learn that at age 55, you only have at most another 10-15 years to live.