Yesterday, we had the opportunity to go through the list of party-list organizations seeking voters’ support in this coming May 12 midterm elections. Supposedly, the creation of party-list groups is to give the usually under or unrepresented sectors in Philippine society in the country’s lawmaking body, specifically the Lower House, given their voices.
The inclusion of the Partylist groups in our country’s governance system was made possible through the Constitution drafted in 1987 when the Corazon Aquino administration assumed. But while the intention is, without doubt, for the good of the Filipinos, it turns out that based on what is happening these days, it was instead an “emasculation” of the fundamental law of the land. And it is ironic that the very people who did it were the very ones who drafted the 1987 Charter.
Adding to the tragedy is that the lack of enabling legislations needed to effectively implement the Constitutional provisions such as the Partylist inclusion, and the dismantling of political dynasties, is the one that is giving the scheming interest groups and individual the opportunity to turn such Charter provisions into an open arena to further their own selfish political interest,
Look, we have these party-list organizations as Pambansang Bayaning Atleta (PBA) represented by someone who is not even an athlete. We have this One PACMAN, which is far from clear as to the sector it represents. And who is sitting in the House of Representatives, supposedly representing that unclear sector? He is one of the richest businessmen in the country
We also have, courtesy of the 1987 Constitution, the Bisaya Ako and Ako Bicol Partylist groups. Why should party-list organizations such as the two be allowed under the Charter? Are not the Bicolano and Bisaya-speaking provinces and cities divided into several Congressional districts that are fully represented in the House? Are the populations in those representative districts NOT Bicolanos and Bisayas?
And what is this Tingog Partylist? What sector of the population is the membership derived from? The deaf and the mute? That is why they need to have voices in Congress. What about ACT-Teachers and ACT-CIS Partylist organizations? What about Ang Probinsiyano Partylist? What sectors in Philippine society are they representing? If a group like the “Ang Probinsiyano” claims it is representing the demure population in the provinces, are not the nominees of the organization to represent the sector in the national legislative body duplicating the responsibilities of the duly elected congressmen or women in the mainstream congressional districts?
Imagine, even motorbike riders and the firemen are suddenly becoming instant under- or unrepresented sectors in the legislative body!
Perhaps the time is already too rife for the crafting of enabling legislation to clearly establish the legitimate sectors. The same laws shall set the criteria for the sectors to qualify as the ones that need congressional representations and not just any “Tom, Dick and Harry” group from the country’s population.
Indeed, it is very unfortunate that in a country like ours, already impoverished by its own system of governance, the very people who are in charge of making the system work are the ones perpetuating the mess in order not to attain the desired objectives.
Imagine how much money the government could save if the Lower House is not “bloated” with warm bodies disguising as representatives of this and that sector? Imagine how many people are now added to the personnel in Congress just to support the party-list Congressmen and Congresswomen. In other words, the salaries and wages of the “bloated” number of people working in Congress are a major drain on government resources. The money could certainly be allocated to a much better use if it were to foot the expenses of more important and relevant infrastructure, health, or education projects..
Indeed we are looking forward to the day – the soonest if possible – that a new crop of our legislators will have the courage to introduce enabling laws that will operationalize the provisions of the Constitution that have long been abused by the very people who are supposed to make sure that the said provisions are effectively implemented.
