"SINCE its inception in 1916, the Senate of the Philippines has always had a confrontational attitude, and history, toward the chief executive. Regardless of whether the chief executive was known as governor-general or president of the Philippines, the inclination of the Senate has always been to challenge Malacañang.
Malacañang has not always taken this sitting down. And there have been times when the Senate was a pliable plaything in the hands of the chief executive. In fact, until recently, the House of Representatives, which is traditionally the bastion of subservience to the chief executive and the bulwark of conservatism, has taken on a more dynamic character. In large part, this can be attributed to the sectoral -- and later, party-list -- representation in the House." (quoted from the Editorial of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, 4 October 2005)
