Panty-list

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

Easter should be a perfect time to start examining the “resurrection” of these numerous and dubious Part-list groups whose first nominees are not marginalized or poor at all but who belong to the rich and powerful.

These groups are out to grab power, again, at the expense of people. These Party-lists running in the May elections are just being used as fronts of politicians and operators who canot win a congressional seat on their own.

Liberal Party standard bearer Noynoy Aquino said he will push for a review of the party-list law to plug loopholes which have led politicians and other vested interest groups to enter the House of Representatives through the backdoor.

“This loophole is slowly turning the party-list system into a farce. It violates the very intent of the framers of the 1987 charter to give marginalized sectors of our people a voice in governance,” he said in s press statement. “Those who desire to remain in power, by any means, have found a loophole they can wriggle into to achieve their dark ends.”

The LP bet was referring to published reports that Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo was the first nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy party-list, which is supposed to represent security guards. Another nominee of the same party-list group is Dennis Pineda, outgoing mayor of Lubao, Pampanga.

A sister-in-law of President Arroyo, Maria Lourdes Arroyo, is a first nominee of Kasangga, a party-list group representing micro-enterpreneurs. Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, on the other hand, is a first nominee of 1-UTAK, a party-list group representing the transport sector.

Under the Constitution, the party-list representatives shall constitute 20 percent of the total number of the Lower House. As of last count, 187 organizations have been accredited by the Comelec to contest the 57 seat allotted for party-list groups.

At the same time, Aquino reiterated his pledge not to appoint any relative to any government position or allow them to do business with government if he becomes president.

Anyhow, the Constitution reserves 20 percent of all House seats for Party-lists. If those getting at least two percent are unable to occupy 50 or so PLs, the rest are being given out even to PLAs getting less than two percent. Political observers have been complaining this is complicated and confusing.

The Party-list system was crafted under the Cory administration with the intention to represent marginalized sectors of society. But then again, this provision in the Charter has been exploited by politicians and unscrupulous people in government and the private sector.

It is no wonder that some sectors are advocating that this system be scrapped and that people should just skip and leave section for the Party-list groups blank.

Over the years, the PL had been an abused privilege and it is indeed high time that this law be examined if it had indeed served its purpose.

If not, then proper remedies could be done by the next administration. Otherwise, it would just be that – a panty-list of the present administration. The subterfuge is not lost I guess.