More than a decade of legislative work has left Senator Risa Hontiveros with drawers full of notebooks — and no patience for criticism over her use of index cards on the Senate floor.
Speaking on ONE News’ Political Beat with Lourd de Veyra on Thursday, the Akbayan senator pushed back against those who took issue with her note-taking practice during plenary sessions, framing it as a deeply personal habit formed long before she set foot in the upper chamber.
“Hello? Hindi ba sila nagte-take ng notes noong estudyante sila? Ako, habit ko talaga nu’ng estudyante ako na mag-take ng notes,” she said.
The remarks came days after a contentious Senate plenary session on May 26, during which Hontiveros and Senator Rodante Marcoleta clashed over a majority-backed motion to amend the chamber’s rules and allow senators to participate and vote through teleconferencing. After Hontiveros raised procedural objections to the motion, Marcoleta responded by questioning whether those without a legal background could meaningfully participate in the debate.
Hontiveros pushed back against that framing, arguing that a law degree is not a prerequisite for understanding legislation or the Senate’s own rules. “Hindi po porke’t walang legal background ay wala nang alam sa batas at sa patakaran ng Senado,” she said.
Senator Panfilo Lacson weighed in on Marcoleta’s remark as well, calling it condescending. “In a condescending tone, a colleague, who is a lawyer, took issue with Sen[ator] Hontiveros’ lack of ‘legal background.’ I have a simple message — it’s the rules stupid,” Lacson wrote on X.
In her Political Beat interview, Hontiveros said her note-taking goes well beyond optics — anyone who visits her office, she noted, would find the evidence stacked in her drawers. She said the practice has allowed her to track how ideas and proposals have evolved over the course of her Senate tenure, building a personal record that spans years of hearings and plenary debates.
The remote participation proposal drew particular scrutiny from the 11-member minority bloc, with concerns raised over whether it could benefit senators facing criminal cases who are unable to physically attend sessions. Hontiveros rejected the argument that current geopolitical tensions or weather events could constitute force majeure to justify the rule change, noting that existing Senate rules already permit online voting in declared national emergencies.
Marcoleta, notably, is himself under a hold departure order from the Sandiganbayan over a plunder complaint involving campaign contributions totaling P75 million.
