THE COMMISSION on Elections should really be strict in their criteria for accrediting party-list groups to make sure that the spirit of the Party-list System Act is followed.
The sad truth is that many party-list groups were formed and/or are being abused by the rich and powerful to get more seats in Congress. Early in his administration, President Rodrigo Duterte even announced that he wanted the party-list system stricken out of the Constitution. He said party-lists “abused” the system, with the rich organizing groups of their own.
“Representing what, security guards?” he said. “That’s a mockery of the law.”
But nothing happened to the President’s plan. Yes, what, indeed, happened?
Is it true that some groups bribe Commission on Elections officials to be accredited?
And take note of this: during elections, rich and powerful party-list groups have the capacity to advertise their number on national TV. The poor party-list is at a disadvantage because their voters will not know the number of their party-list group.
As originally conceptualized, the spirit and logic of the party-list system is sound although it is also very limited. However narrow, by allotting seats in Congress for the marginalized and underrepresented, at least their voices would be heard and would be part in crafting legislation for their sectors.
But the system has loopholes that the unscrupulous have exploited. And so now we see the party-list system as a backdoor for the rich and powerful to get more seats in Congress. The real marginalized and underrepresented, on the other hand, remain they way they are — marginalized and underrepresented.
