The bastardization of the partylist system

The shameless, callous, and greedy traditional and transactional politicians, mostly members of family dynasties, are making a mockery of what was intended to be a system of making sure that the marginalized sectors in the Philippine socio-economic structure are represented in the highest policymaking and law-making body of the government. Both the letter and spirit of the constitutional provisions on family dynasty manifest the intention to further democratize the legislative branch of the Philippine government. The way the trapos are bastardizing this nobly intended fundamental law is, to the say the very least, shocking to the sense of decency of every selfrespecting Filipino.

I know of a Cabinet member who used to be a congressman, and whose wife is also a partylist representative representing a sector which is either not marginalized or is overrepresented. Yet Comelec accredits this kind of representation, while declaring highly-qualified bets as nuisance, simply because they have no money and cannot muster a nationwide campaign. I also know of a retired Supreme Court justice whose son is a congressman representing the lone district of a small island province. Another member of their family is representing a sector that is not really marginalized. These people should be ashamed of themselves.

I recall that a son of a former president, who used to be a congressman representing one district in a vote-rich Luzon province, wanted to represent the tricycle drivers even if he didn’t belong to that sector. The nerve of this guy who is now running again to represent the district of his mother after the latter’s three consecutive terms. This family of traditional politicians should have a little decency to avoid amassing too much political powers in just one family. We all know that his other brother is a congressman representing a faraway district in Bicol. Who gave this family the special blessings to be residents of multiple provinces? Now they also want to control the partylist system.

There was a Davao congressman whose brother is a partylist representative. The same was true of a northern Mindanao congressman representing Cagayan de Oro. His brother was also a representative representing a so-called marginalized Mindanaoan tribe. A top ARMM official had a brother who also represents another alleged marginalized Mindanao tribe. What is this? Is this really the intention of the partylist system? There are too many partylist representatives claiming to represent the poor, and yet, they are among the richest in Congress according to their own SALN. There are many who claim to represent OFWs and yet they are recruiters who have conflicts of interests with the sectors they represent. Is this not a blatant bastardization of a profoundly noble innovation in our legislative system?

Why is Comelec seemingly blind, deaf and mute in the face of these callous abuses committed by powerful and rich Filipinos who want to control all the powers in government? Why is Comelec strict only against the poor candidates but is too meek and understanding when trapos come in sheep’s clothing, but are really wolves out to devour our legal system? Why are Filipinos just folding their hands in the face of this shameless slaps of our collective dignity as decent human beings? Why? I am really perplexed, bewildered, and confused.