Bill seeks to correct party-list flaws
MANILA, Philippines—A senior member of the House of Representatives has moved to revise the existing party-list system, which he said has defeated the purpose of sectoral representation as provided under the law.
Bohol Rep. Erico B. Aumentado filed House Bill 4091, which seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7941, otherwise known as the “Party-List System Act” in order to strengthen party-list representation.
According to Aumentado, the party-list system aimed to democratize political power in the country by providing marginalized sectors with their own representatives.
However, it has not fully achieved the actual goal of party-list representation as envisioned under RA 7941 because some sectoral parties lack distinctive platforms and fill up their seats with “nominees of convenience.”
“These defeat the purpose of giving voice to marginalized and underrepresented sectors,” Aumentado stressed.
To address the issue, Aumentado’s bill requires party-list groups as well as their nominees to prove solid credentials of their advocacies and involvement in advancing the causes of the sector that they seek to represent.
At the same time, the bill aims to allow more seats for party-list representatives, said Aumentado, chair of the House committee on ethics and privileges.
Formula for allocating seats
Aumentado said the bill provides a formula for allocating seats to any party-list group or coalition that gets at least two percent of the total votes cast for the party-list system.
His formula, however, will allow party-list representation to groups next in rank (even those who get less than the required two percent) until all available seats are distributed, thus attaining the broadest possible representation of marginalized sectors in the legislature, Aumentado said.
The 1987 Constitution provides that party-list representatives shall constitute 20 percent of the total number of congressmen in the House of Representatives.
Aumentado cited several Supreme Court rulings, specifically the case of Banat vs. Comelec, where it says that neither the Constitution nor RA 7941 mandates the filing-up of the entire 20 percent allocation of party-list representatives.
The Supreme Court decision said the Constitution, in a specific provision, left the determination of the number of the House members to Congress but the composition shall not be more than 250 members, unless otherwise fixed by law.
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Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
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