Senate to change rules on absenteeism

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May 5, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committee on ethics has officially asked Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to comment on a proposal to amend the chamber’s rules on absenteeism, following a complaint filed against him.

Sen. JV Ejercito, who chairs the committee, announced the move after the panel reviewed the nine pending dockets yesterday.

The complaint against Dela Rosa stemmed from allegations that he continues to receive a salary despite a notable number of absences from plenary sessions.

“The committee already acted on it. The committee already asked Sen. Dela Rosa to comment on the proposal to amend the rules,” Ejercito told reporters.

“The committee is waiting for a response from Sen. Dela Rosa… there is a proposal to amend the rules of the Senate already on absenteeism,” he said in Filipino.

Ejercito reiterated that the ethics panel alone cannot unilaterally enforce a “no work, no pay” scheme.

Any amendments to the Senate rules regarding attendance and compensation must be voted upon by the entire chamber during a plenary session.

While awaiting Dela Rosa’s response, Ejercito expressed his personal view that lawmakers should be subject to the same standards as ordinary workers.