MANILA: Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero said Thursday that his first task as head of the Senate is to put the house in order. To attain this, Escudero pledged to bridge the gap among members of the Senate who were hurt during the recent change in leadership. 'Ang tingin ko sa sarili ko imbis na leader ay tulay para mapag-abot ang magkaiba at tila hindi nagtutugma na mga pananaw, opinion, at pangangailangan. Ang trabaho para sa akin ng bawat leader ay maitulay at maitawid iyon (I think of myself as a bridge instead of a leader to reach different and seemingly incompatible perspectives, opinions, and needs. For me, the job of every leader is to bridge),' Escudero said during the Kapihan sa Senado. He said his job is to ensure the smooth flow of the chamber that he now presides over, finish the task, and take care of the institution and its employees. 'Makalipas ang panahon maghihilom iyan at ang bawat isang senador tatayong malaya pa rin, hindi laban sa administrasyon, hindi laban sa kung sino mang grupo o partido, pero tatayo sa paningin niya at paniniwala niya na tama para sa ating bansa (Over time, the wounds will heal and every single senator will stand up independently, not against the administration, not against any group or party, but will stand in his eyes and his belief that is right for our country),' he added. He said he would soon discuss with other Senate leaders their plans, including the bills they will prioritize once the third regular session opens in July. Escudero said he had already met with the Senate employees' union. He said they agreed to meet with them regularly so he would know their concerns and issues. 'Dahil nagbabago ang pangangailangan, nagbabago ang problema nila at ako, so, maganda magkaroon ng palitan ng pananaw kaugnay ng relasyon ko sa union. Ang sinabi ko sa kanila, minsan sa isang buwan tayo mag usap (Because needs change, their problems and mine, change, it would be nice to have an exchange of views regarding my relationship with the union. I told them, once a month we can talk),' he said. Source: Philippines News Agency