#TalkThursday with Franklin Drilon

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler speaks with Senator Franklin Drilon, incoming Senate President for the 16th Congress.

Drilon is the chairperson of the ruling Liberal Party. He also served under two Aquino presidents, working as labor secretary, and later as justice secretary for the late President Corazon Aquino.

Drilon entered the Senate for the first time in 1995 and stayed for two terms, acting as Senate President in 2001-2006. After being barred by the Constitution from running for a third 6-year term in 2007, Drilon stayed in the private sector for 3 years. His successful bid for a Senate seat in 2010 marked the start of a fresh 2-term cycle.

As incoming Senate President, Drilon is adamant about helping the administration. He said, “We can help with the President’s agenda if the 13 [senators], the majority in the Senate, would feel we can deliver the mandate that we got in the last election then I’m willing to serve. I will not be coy about it.”

Drilon identified key measures for the 16th congress:

• Amending the charter of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to conform with the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro
• Fixing fiscal incentives
• Mining law
• Drilon will talk to Rappler about the challenges of the 16th Congress and how he plans to work with the Senate minority.

Watch the interview below.

– Rappler.com