Senate Lacks Formal Policy on Pay Deductions for Absent Senators, Says Gatchalian

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday, December 1, confirmed that the Philippine Senate does not enforce a "no work, no pay" policy for its members. He highlighted that senators are only required to formally notify the Senate when they are unable to participate in sessions or budget hearings.

In response to inquiries regarding Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who has been absent from plenary sessions since November 11 without providing a public explanation, Gatchalian noted that the established protocol requires senators to submit formal letters detailing the reasons for their absence to both the concerned committee and the Senate President.

"Based on what I know, there is no such arrangement for senators," Gatchalian explained when asked if pay deductions apply similarly to ordinary workers. "The proper procedure is to send the committee a letter explaining why you can’t attend. These formal letters are important because they serve as the official record explaining the senator’s absence."

Regarding dela Rosa's absence during the defense of the Department of National Defense (DND) budget—where he serves as vice chair defending the agency—Gatchalian stated that only the senator’s staff informed him that dela Rosa would not be attending and requested that he take over the defense in his stead.

He suggested that the Senate consider discussing potential contingency measures for situations in which key members responsible for defending specific budgets are absent without prior notification. "It might be useful to discuss this in a caucus to determine what contingencies should be in place," Gatchalian said. "I don't believe this issue has arisen before."

In the meantime, Gatchalian pointed out that no existing Senate rules specifically address prolonged or unnotified absences by senators. He also clarified that standard "no work, no pay" policies remain applicable to Senate employees, particularly daily wage earners.

"That’s correct for daily wage earners; their arrangement is strictly no work, no pay," he added.

This clarification comes amid growing attention to the attendance and participation protocols for lawmakers during critical budget deliberations.