GIVE BACK PARTY LIST SYSTEM TO SECTORS THE CONSTITUTION INTENDED IT FOR

A lot has been written about the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the party list system. There are a lot of things to amend, revoke or alter within the system.

The more urgent changes, at the moment, are:

Party list name:

• The name should be suggestive of the “marginalized or underrepresented” sectors of society, like the Senior Citizens party list.

• It should not duplicate the name of an existing party list. In the last election, there was Ang Probinsiyano and Probinsiyano Ako; and ACT-CIS and ACT (Association of Concerned Teachers).

• The name should not use abbreviations of established organizations like the PBA or BHW if they do not have members from such organizations.

Advocacy: Party list applicants should explain in their application for Comelec accreditation the area of their advocacy, and include the following:

• Clear description of their constituency

• A program of advocacy or proposed areas of legislation they intend to pursue, for purposes of accountability to the public and their constituency

Lastly, party lists that include incumbent legislators, elected local officials and/or their family relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity should be denied registration.

Give back the party list system to the sectors the Constitution intended it for, and do not allow politicians, political dynasties and opportunists to dominate. MAFEO R. VIBAL, vice president, external affairs, Philippine Association of Retired Persons, mafeovibal@gmail.com