Draft constitution to double party-list seats

UNDER the proposed federal constitution drafted by the Consultative Committee (ConCom), the number of party-list representatives in the House will double from 20 percent to 40 percent, Buhay party list Rep. Lito Atienza said.

Atienza, former three-term mayor of Manila, said his group favors President Rodrigo Duterte’s draft constitution for a strong and indissoluble republic” offhand because “it will allow underrepresented sectors to seek and obtain greater representation in Congress.”

“Senior citizens and women, for instance, may want to seek stronger representation. Even our teachers, who now comprise the nation’s largest group of professionals, may feel that they deserve a louder voice in Congress,” Atienza said.

The 1987 Constitution limits the members of the House of Representatives to no more than 250, unless otherwise the seats reserved for party-list representatives.

However, the number of House seats has exceeded 250 since 1987 because of the passage of laws creating new congressional districts in provinces or cities with rapidly increasing populations.

At present, there are 292 sitting House members, with 233 elected by congressional district ( 80 percent) and 59 party-list representatives voted nationwide (20 percent).

Atienza said the draft Constitution seeks to increase the number of House seats “to no more than 400, unless otherwise provided by law,” with 40 percent or up to 160 seats reserved for party-list representatives.

peasant, urban poor, indig - portional representation, with up to 80 seats reserved for them initially.

The draft charter states that for “three consecutive terms this Constitution, one half of the seats set aside for parties voted under the proportional representation system shall be reserved for labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous provided that they organize themselves as parties or coalitions of parties.”

The other half of the total seats allocated for proportional representation shall be open to all other political parties or coalitions.