Legislators should only be paid for the work they have done in the Legislature, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Monday.

Zubiri aired his plan to file a bill in the 15th Congress that begins in July to implement this concept during a media interview where legislators’ allowances and probably pay would be deducted or affected when they are not present during regular legislative work such as regular sessions and committee hearings.

The House of Representatives has been the regular butt of jokes or criticisms where the matter of quorum during plenary sessions crops up almost daily with some congressmen absenting themselves most often.

Zubiri said deductions on allowances would be done after a legislator has accumulated a number of days of absences because it is difficult for the Senate or the House of Representatives to hold sessions if their members are absent.

The third most ranking Senate official admitted that his measure is controversial “being a political reform measure’’ but this is one way of regaining the trust of the people on their elective officials and for government officials getting back their credibility.

Zubiri cited a situation where an elective local government official, under the Local Government Code, could be charged with neglect of duty if he is absent without due cause.

Civil service servants could also be penalized and charged administratively if they are absent for only a few days, he added.

“And why are we legislators exempted (from being penalized)?’’ he asked.

As the Senate resumed Monday its regular session following a month-long Christmas holiday recess, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said that the Upper House would act positively this week on the Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2009 which grants additional benefits to senior citizens.