Reform the party-list system

This early, it is commendable of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cleanse their official registry of dubious and not exactly marginalized sectors of Philippine society as envisioned by our Constitution to be recognized as party-list organization. If Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes would have his way, the poll body seeks to reduce party-list groups to a more manageable number of at least 120 to 150.

Should the Comelec succeed in this initiative, only those party-list groups that pass this review would participate in the coming May 2013 midterm elections. Under Republic Act (RA) 7941, or the Party-List System Act of 1995, this law sought to enable “Filipino citizens belonging to the marginalized and under-represented sectors, organizations and parties and who lack well-defined political constituents but who could contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as well to become members of the House of Representatives.”

Actually, the maximum limit of 150 eyed by Brillantes is not an arbitrary figure. To date, a total of 172 groups have sought accreditation with the Comelec to be able to run in next year’s elections. A group of former military rebels led by re-electionist Senator Antonio Trillanes and a group of former addicts and alcoholics are among the 172 groups seeking to be allowed to run in 2013.

Section 6 (8) of the Omnibus Election Code states that the poll body may motu proprio remove or cancel the registration of any national, regional, or sectoral party, organization, or coalition on a number of grounds. One of these includes the “failure to participate in the last two preceding elections or [failure] to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered.”

So far, the Comelec de-listed 62 party-list groups that lost in the two successive elections, disqualifying them from the 2013 polls. The Comelec approved Resolution 9412 last April 27 that removed these party-list groups from the poll body’s accredited list.

By removing the unqualified party-list organizations — some are really just a “nuisance” to say the least — the Comelec is hoping to shorten the ballots.

This should not only result in savings in terms of the cost of printing long ballot, paper and ink, but also benefit us voters for the simple convenience of having to choose from a relatively shorter party-list, pun intended.

In the last May 2010 polls, the ballot size reached as long as 26 inches because of the sheer total of 187 party-list groups to choose from. Of this total, only 43 party-list groups won with 55 nominees getting seats and are now members of the 15th Congress. They comprise at least 20 percent of the total House of Representatives with congressional districts as required under our country’s 1987 Constitution. 

The biggest party-list at the House now is Ako Bikol with three representative seats. This was proportionate to their having garnered 1.5 million votes in the last elections as provided for under the party-list law. As per its name, Ako Bikol is supposed to represent Bicolanos as under-represented or marginalized sector in our country.

I am not aware though of any major bill or laws approved by this Congress that could be specifically authored or credited to this particular group. This, of course, does not discount the possibility this party-list group has co-authored or co-sponsored bills of national application, if not local bills that particularly benefited the people of Bicol.   

Other party-list groups have two seats. They include Bayan Muna; Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC); Gabriela, An Waray, to name some. On the other hand, most of them have only one seat like farmers’ group Anak-pawis of Rafael Mariano; Alliance of Concerned Teachers of Antonio Tinio, and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) of Raymond Mendoza.

Ang Galing Pinoy, which is supposed to be representing the interest of lowly paid security guards, has one seat. Their designated representative is Mikey Arroyo, eldest son of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The political allies of the ex-president earlier hinted that she may not seek re-election due to her bone ailment and legal problems pending in various courts.

The idea of fielding Mikey to run for his mother instead may hit a snag because of term limits. Prior to being party-list representative, Mikey served for two consecutive terms as Congressman in the second district of Pampanga currently held by his ailing mother.

With the recent demise of former Bacolod Rep. Iggy Arroyo, only one of their political clan — Camarines Sur Rep. Dato Arroyo — would likely remain in power. But that is if Mrs. Arroyo and Mikey would not be able to run in the 2013 elections. Dato, younger brother of Mikey, is running for a second term.

Needless to say, there is rhyme and reason on the need to shorten the number of party-list groups presently accredited by the Comelec. Through the years, the party-list groups have swelled in number. Thus, the party-list race has intensified. Most of them have come up with names or catchy acronyms that start with letter “A” for obvious reasons.

This is to immediately draw the voters’ attention to their group in the alphabetized listing of candidates. It pays to be ahead in the long list, that’s the logic. Latest word from the Comelec is that the poll body plans to instead have a random listing of party-list organizations to give each and everyone a level playing field.

More than the savings and convenience, this Comelec review on party-list groups should hopefully lead to an overall assessment to reform the system.

 Without doubt, the party-list system has become a backdoor entry to Congress by politicians and groups with nefarious agenda even if they do not represent the marginalized sectors.