A
voice to the marginalized.
This is what the Philippine Party-list system promises. Republic Act 7941, which
made the implementation of the party-list system possible starting in the 1998
elections, reserves up to 20 percent of the total House seats for representatives
of marginalized groups.
For the past nine years, party-list groups had been
instrumental in lobbying for the passage of significant
laws. Women’s groups such as Abanse! Pinay,
a women’s party-list group that is making a comeback in this year’s
election, and the left-leaning Gabriela have taken it upon themselves to push
for the passage of landmarks bills such as “The Solo-Parents Welfare Act,” “The
Anti-Trafficking in Persons, especially of Women and Children Act of 2003,” and “Anti-Violence
Against Women and their Children Law.” The social-democrat group Akbayan,
on the other hand, was one of the proponents of the Absentee Voting Law.
Meanwhile, party-list groups also serve as the House’s “noisemakers.” Bayan
Muna, currently the leading party-list group based on election surveys, and
Akbayan have blocked the passage of or asked for
the repeal of laws such as the Oil Deregulation
Act, the Electricity and Power Reform Act, the Mining Act, and most recently,
the Human Security Act of 2007. They were also instrumental in the repeal,
and later, the abolition of the death penalty law.
Their voice, however, no matter
how loud, have remained a minority in a House of 250 representatives.
Since the emergence of the “Hello Garci” tapes suggesting that party-list
seats can be bought, doubts about the efficiency of the system have surfaced.
Just recently, several party-list groups accredited by the Commission on Elections
were questioned since most of their nominees are political allies of President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Akbayan released on its website (www.akbayan.org) a
list of party-list groups that are said to be Malacañang fronts.
Similarly, FPJPM, which used to stand for Fernando Poe Jr. for President Movement,
has now turned into a party list group and renamed Filipinos for Peace, Justice
and Progress Movement. Grace Poe Llamanzares, daughter of Poe and Susan Roces,
has been drafted to head the party list. FPJPM told the Philippine Daily Inquirer
that it hopes to make available more affordable food, housing, decent-paying
jobs and free legal services to the poor.
And then there’s The True Marcos Loyalist (for
God, Country and People) Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (BANTAY)
On the other hand, members and representatives of Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Anakpawis
have been under attack from government elements claiming that the left-leaning
groups are Communist fronts. While Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran remains
in hospital-arrest inside the Philippine Heart Center, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur
Ocampo has been evading charges filed against him for cases literally dug up
from Leyte decades ago.
The Comelec itself is facing a credibility crisis
at the moment. With a good number of people believing
that there will be cheating on the coming elections,
the disqualification of the gay group Ladlad as a party-list group have also
raised not just eyebrows but howls both from straight and homosexual voters.
Adding to the electoral body’s problems are the rumors that some party-list
groups have paid as much as P7 million just to be accredited for the party-list
elections and former Comelec Chief Christian Monsod saying that the party-list
system has been “bastardized” because of the Comelec’s actions.
So nine years after the first party-list elections,
the voice of the marginalized still seems to be,
well, marginalized. But with the ongoing absentee
voting,
maybe it’s best to just make do with whatever voice we’ve been accorded
for now and vote for a party-list group that would make the loudest noise for
our concerns. In short, it’s still “Vote Wisely.”
Party List Groups who want your vote
Transportation
1-United Transport Koalisyon (1-UTAK)
Alliance Transport Sector (ATS)
Biyaheng Pinoy (BP)
Women
Abanse! Pinay (ABANSE! PINAY)
Babae Para Sa Kaunlaran (BABAE KA)
Gabriela Women’s Party (GABRIELA)
Kabukluran ng mga Kababaihang Filipina sa Timog Katagalugan (BUKLOD FILIPINA)
Anti-Poverty
Aangat Tayo (AT)
Ahon Pinoy (AHON)
Ahonbayan (AHONBAYAN)
Alyansa ng Mamamayang Naghihirap (ALMANA)
Angat Antas Kabuhayan Pilipino Movement (AANGAT KA PILINO)
Angat Ating Kabuhayan Pilipinas, Inc. (ANAK)
Hanay ng Aping Pinoy (HAPI)
Kasangga sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ANG KASANGGA)
People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP)
Sandigang Maralita (SM)
You Against Corruption and Poverty (YACAP)
Education
ABAKADA GURO (formerly Advocates and Adherents of Social Justice for School Teachers
and Allied Workers. Acronym: ABAKADA)
Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action, Cooperation and Harmony Towards
Educational Reforms, Inc. (A TEACHER)
Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE)
Business
AA-KASOSYO Party (AA-KASOSYO)
Abono (ABONO)
Action for Dynamic Development, Inc. (ADD)
Alliance of Vendors and Traders of the Philippines (VENDORS)
Ang Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal Para Sa Ikauunlad ng Lokal na Ekonomiya (formerly
Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal Para Sa Ikauunlad ng Lokal na Ekonomiya. Acronym:
A SMILE)
Arts Business and Science Professionals (ABS)
Asosasyon ng mga Maliliit na Negosyanteng Gumaganap (AMANG)
Novelty Entrepreneurship and Livelihood for Food, Inc. (NELFFI)
Regional
Abante Ilonggo, Inc. (ABA ILONGGO)
Agbiag! Timpuyog Ilocano, Inc. (AGBIAG!)
An Waray (AN WARAY)
Anak Mindanao (AMIN)
Assalam Bangsamoro People’s Party (ASSALAM)
Bahandi Sa Kaumahan Ug Kadagatan (BAHANDI)
Suara Bangsamoro (SUARA)
Indigenous
Action for Democracy and Development for the Tribal People (ADD-TRIBAL)
Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino (ALIF)
Koalisyon ng Katutubong Samahan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI)
Government Forces
Alagad (Alagad)
Alay sa Bayan ng Malayang Propesyonal at Repormang Kalakal (ABAY PARAK)
OFW
Akbay Pinoy OFW-National, Inc. (APOI)
Kalahi-Advocates for Overseas Filipino (KALAHI)
Ideological
Akbayan! Citizen’s Action Party (AKBAYAN)
Aksyon Sambayanan (AKSA)
Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD)
Alliance of Neo-Conservatives (ANC)
Alyansa ng Sambayanan Para Sa Pagbabago (ASAP)
Anak Pawis (ANAKPAWIS)
Ang Bagong Bayan na Nagtataguyod ng Demokratikong Ideolohiya at Layunin (BANDILA)
Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan (BATAS)
Bayan Muna (BAYAN MUNA)
Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC)
Sanlakas (SANLAKAS)
Union of the Masses for Democracy and Justice (UMDJ)
Agriculture/Fishery
Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. (AGAP)
Alyansang Bayanihan ng Magsasaka, Manggagawang Bukid at Mangingisda – Adhikain
at Kilusan ng Ordinaryong Tao (ABA-AKO)
Biyayang Bukid (BIYAYANG BUKID)
COCOFED-Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, Inc. (COCOFED)
Confederation of Grains Retailers Association in the Philippines (GRECON)
Luzon Farmers Party (BUTIL)
Community
Alliance for Barangay Concerns (ABC)
Alliance of Rural Concerns (ARC)
Barangay Association for National Advancement of Transparency (BANAT)
Sulong! Barangay Movement (SB)
Disabled
Advocates for Special Children and the Handicapped Movement (ASAHAN MO)
Alyansa sa May Kapansanang Pinoy (AKAPIN)
Workers
Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
Cooperatives-Natco Network Party (COOP-NATCO)
Democratic Independent Workers Association, Inc. (DIWA)
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)
Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP)
Youth
Kabataan (KABATAAN)
Youth League for Peace Advancement (LYPAD)
Miscellaneous
Aging Pilipino Organization, Inc. (AGING PINOY)
Alliance of Associations of Accredited Workers in the Water Sector, Inc. (AAWAS)
Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamamayan, Inc.
(AGHAM)
Alliance of People’s Organizations (APO)
Ang Galing Pinoy (AG)
Association of Administrators, Professionals and Seniors (AAPS)
Bago National Cultural Society of the Philippines (BAGO)
Bagong Tao Movement (BTM)
Bigkis Pinoy Movement (BIGKIS)
Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (BUHAY)
Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines, Inc. (SENIOR
CITIZENS)
Filipino For Peace, Justice and Progress Movement (FPJPM)
Kapatiran ng mga Na Kulong na Walang Sala (KAKUSA)
Parents Enabling Parents Coalition Party (PEP)
Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA)
Seaman’s Party Inc. (SPI)
The True Marcos Loyalist (for God, Country and People) Association of the Philippines,
Inc. (BANTAY)
United Movement Against Drug (UNI-MAD)
Veterans Freedom Party (VFP) |
