POLITICIANS AND THEIR SIDE JOBS

When Sen. Tito Sotto’s election as Senate president was announced, it was mentioned that in view of such the good senator will now cut down his television hosting and focus on his duties.

This announcement was later repeated ad nauseam in “Eat Bulaga,” which infelicitously reveals the appalling Sotto mindset that being a mere senator was not important enough for him to attend to full time and was just a sideline to his being a longtime hotshot television star.

This cringe-worthy scenario is not new or novel. Sen. Manny Pacquiao was a 95-percent absentee congressman pursuing his boxing career while enjoying all congressional perks.

Pacquiao, who has perfected using his political position—drawing all perks from his sideline while boxing remains his main preoccupation—is scheduled to fight again despite having been beaten to a pulp in his last fight against Australian Jeffrey Horn.

Most recent footages of Pacquiao show him sparring or jogging diligently preparing for his next fight, except for that footage during the Senate presidency election, when he seconded Sotto’s nomination with unconcealed alacrity.

Nonetheless, for the sake of the Filipino people, I hope Sotto grows into the position and gives it the devotion and respect it deserves and that his tenure will not be tainted with his boorishness, such as his shameful remark during the confirmation hearings for Judy Taguiwalo as social welfare secretary, which in deference to his high position, I will not repeat here. CARNELL S. VALDEZ, nellvaldez@yahoo.com