“A total 34 party-list organizations participating in the May 2025 polls are set to receive notices from the Commission on Elections for violating rules on campaigning”
The 1987 Constitution envisioned the party-list system as a mechanism of proportional representation in the election of members of the House of Representatives.
Its objective is not only to provide representation to sectoral groups but also to accord proportionate representation for political parties participating in the election. It is intended to democratize political power by giving political parties that cannot win in legislative district elections a chance to win seats in the House of Representatives.
The party-list representatives are supposed to constitute 20 percent of the total number of representatives including those under the party list.
For three consecutive terms after the ratification of this Constitution, one-half of the seats were supposed to be allocated to party-list representatives and filled by selection or election from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector.
Component parties or organizations of a coalition may participate independently provided the coalition of which they form part does not participate in the party-list system.
The law that formalized the party-list system intended to allow Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized and under-represented sectors, organizations and parties, and who lack well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as a whole, to become members of the legislature.
Towards this end, the State was tasked to develop and guarantee a full, free and open party system in order to attain the broadcast possible representation of party, sectoral or group interests in the House of Representatives by enhancing their chances to compete for and win seats in the legislature.
Is the party-list system working as intended by our Constitution and the law that established it?
The latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations showed only six party-list groups among the top choices of voters in the upcoming May 2025 elections.
Conducted from Feb. 15 to Feb. 19, several days after the start of the official campaign period, the survey asked registered voters which party list group they would most likely pick if the elections were held during the survey period.
Among 156 groups, the preference for Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino (4Ps) remained the highest at 9.61 percent; Following 4Ps and also retaining its ranking is Duterte Youth with 8.28 percent; FPJ Panday Bayanihan, with 4.76 percent.
The ACT-CIS (Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support went down a notch after its support dwindled to 4.46 percent from 5.41 percent in the previous period.
Both FPJ Panday Bayanihan and ACT-CIS are on track to secure two seats in the House after reaching the 4-percent threshold for additional representation.
Only two other parties may get a guaranteed seat each, having surpassed the 2-percent minimum vote share: Senior Citizens, with 2.99 percent; and Asenso Pinoy, with preference spiking to 2.65 percent.
Falling short of the 2-percent threshold are party-list groups Agimat (1.95 percent), Kusug Tausug (1.94) and Tingog (1.93 percent).
The February survey results indicate that party-list groups with
advocacies beneficial to the poor and with strong connections to prominent personalities and advocacy-driven names are the ones likely to get elected to Congress in the May midterms.
Meanwhile, a total 34 party-list organizations participating in the May 2025 polls are set to receive notices from the Commission on Elections for violating rules on campaigning.
According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, their campaign materials have the wrong sizes, are not environment-friendly, and posted in the wrong places.
He said these groups would be given three days to remove their campaign materials. Otherwise, the poll body would file disqualification cases against them.
The Comelec move is timely and appropriate as party-list groups should comply with the poll body’s established rules and regulations just like all other candidates.
Our Constitution says the State should guarantee equal opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.
But in the case of the party-list system as well as the political system dominated by traditional political parties, public office has been co-opted by political clans that want to monopolize power in direct contravention of the spirit of the fundamental law.
This has got to stop.
(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)