Subsidy for political parties / Cha-cha talks in Pangasinan

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

The political animals must be grinning from ear to ear after the House of Representatives endorsed the grant of state subsidies to political parties with national constituencies.

The grant is part of Bill 6551, or the proposed Political Party Development Act of 2012, which the House has approved on third and final reading.

The bill seeks an initial funding of P500 million for political parties. The proposal is like the practice in the United States, where the two mainstream national political parties receive federal funding.

“We have to veer away from politics of patronage and money. We have to grow as a nation and focus our politics on issues and political platforms,” the bill’s authors said.

Among them are Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City, Juan Edgardo Angara of Aurora, Maximo Rodriguez of the party-list group Abante Mindanao, and Raymond Mendoza of Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.

“We have to institutionalize and strengthen our political parties by introducing reforms in campaign financing through effective and transparent mechanism to level the playing field and eliminate opportunities for corruption,” they said.

The proposed state subsidy would be used for party development and campaign expenses, including party administration, recruitment, research, education and training of members, and outreach programs.

Also covered are operating and travel expenses, information dissemination, advocacy campaigns, and production and distribution of electoral paraphernalia.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) would be mandated to issue the necessary rules and regulations.

Accreditation of political parties entitled to state funding would be based on political representation, organizational strength, mobilization capability, performance, and track record.

Political groups receiving state subsidy would be subject to audit by the Commission on Audit (COA).

They would be required to submit sworn statements of their assets and liabilities to the COA, which would publish or make them available to the public six months before an election.

These groups may still receive contributions from private donors, which would be tax-exempt, but the Comelec would be tasked to strictly regulate such donations.

State funding for political parties had been the advocacy of former Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr., but the bill authorizing it had not been passed during his years of leadership in the House as speaker.

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The nationwide Charter change roadshow launched by the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) is now in high gear, with its proponents optimistic of Filipinos’ growing support for fundamental political and economic reforms.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, president of the CDP, said the party is pushing for the holding of a constitutional convention later this year to amend the 1987 Constitution and implement a federal system of government with two legislative chambers, and to lift restrictive economic provisions of the charter.

“Now is the best time when there is no doubt in the sincerity of President Aquino to implement lasting reforms. We are asking the President to lend an ear to heed the growing clamor of the people for charter reforms so that we can sustain our economic growth,” Rodriguez said.

“We do not have enough investment capital to dramatically boost economic growth because of limitations set by some provisions,” he said.

Rodriguez said the CDP is supporting efforts of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to amend the restrictive provisions in the Constitution hampering the entry of foreign investments.

On Monday, CDP officials led by Rodriguez and its chairman, Lito Lorenzana, were met by local officials of Alaminos, Pangasinan. Lorenzana, a former Cabinet official of the late President Corazon Aquino, is a known charter change advocate.

Rodriguez said over a hundred Pangasinan officials and private sector representatives attended the meeting and support the holding of a constitutional convention.