'The House and Senate in Congress assembled'

It would have been awesome had Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan led 10 other oppositionist and alternative candidates to what could have been a smashing 12-0 victory in the Senate race.

- TONYO CRUZ

Had that happened, and with Risa Hontiveros already waiting, there would have been a new Senate majority. One of them would surely be Senate president, and they would share among themselves the committee chairmanships.

As for the other senators, there's no stopping any of them from joining them in such a Senate majority. The more, the merrier.

We could tell this fairy tale to ourselves until 2028 and beyond, but that's not what's needed right now.

In about two weeks, lawmakers of the 20th Congress would be convened by the Senate secretary and the House secretary-general to perform their first constitutional duty: to elect a Senate President and a House Speaker.

Some might harbor illusions or delusions that they carry the burden of the best and most righteous brand of politics, but that wouldn't matter at this time. Each lawmaker must cast a vote for preferred Senate President or House Speaker, and that vote would formally determine their position in either House.