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Party poopers
When the Commission on Elections deliberated on the applications for 219 new party-list groups, the media’s patronizing coverage of the new Sabungero Party-List made it the pot of headline jokes.
Not very funny, if you ask me.
I have nothing against cock fighting or cock fighters personally (or if at some point they’ve become marginalized and feel they need representation) but I believe they should remain in the confines of the cockpit and not in the House of Representatives.
The emergence of outrageous parties and advocacies in Philippine politics (of which the Sabungero Party-List is just an example) really underscores a persistent mockery of our Party-List system, if it hasn’t been overly mocked already.
The Party-List system is a noble feature of the legislative branch of government designed to assure marginalized sectors that they are represented in congress, with the intent of giving voice to the voiceless.
But for years it has been anything but a tool to push the interests of the under represented. In fact it has become an opportunity for frustrated politicians, some progressive groups (whose aim is just to oppose status quo) and other aspiring public servants to take a shorter route to fame and an access to play in the higher stakes category. Party-List representatives are after all accorded with respect and other privileges just like any congressman.
Party-List groups hitch on advocacies representing the by and large diverse marginalized sectors. All it takes is a careful selection of a cause i.e. (choose your wild) farmers, teachers, OFW, children, fishermen, gays and lesbians, religious, ethnic groups or fighting cocks whose cudgels one plans to banner. They exploit the vulnerabilities of these groups.
Traditional politicians and mainstream political parties are also taking advantage of the Party-List system. In the guise of taking the cause of some marginalized sector, traditional politicians create and promote their own groups using the campaign machinery of established political blocs.
Getting a traditional politician elected via Party-List elections would enable their parties to take more seats at the house. And more seats mean getting the numbers needed to advance their own political interests.
Party-List elections in the Philippines have also become more of a marketing undertaking.
Very rarely do Filipino voters sit down on a list of their prospective sectoral representatives to evaluate their merits. The sheer number of party list groups makes a review of their platforms or even just memorizing their names difficult for the ordinary voter. Chances are the electorate will only vote for those that have a strong name recall, or the ones that come to mind first as they fill out the last blanks on their ballots.
Marketing and brand experts say name recall and visibility in media are the reasons why only a few party list groups prevail at the house. Note that top party list groups BAYAN and GABRIELA, are also the most visible in news media. Because of their exposure during their rallies and protests, progressive or militant groups get to build their “brand” en route to taking a seat in congress.
But if there’s anyone to blame for the piteous state of the party list system, it is still the Filipino voter.
A few people take Party-List groups seriously. Many voters never really consider sectoral representatives as true congressmen in the context of the traditional congressmen they voted for “as real persons”.
This stems from that fact that with Party-List elections, the people do not get to vote for personalities, just the groups. It is the Party-List that appoints its warm body in congress, once it wins.
What people do not realize is that Party-List representatives also get pork barrel (and can abuse it like any corrupt congressman). How can we entrust hard earned tax payers’ money to these groups? How can we make sure tax payers’ resources are spent judiciously?
As “real people” in congress, our party list congressmen debate with regular congressmen on our behalf. They write laws and become members of committees that tackle important issues. They approve or thumb down bills like any other congressman. They can push or ignore public interest as much as they make good or bad judgment calls.
Needless to say, they can also form alliances (and allegiances) with traditional congressmen and political parties and sell us out. They can also profit from kickbacks and enrich themselves just like any other greedy public servant.
Partly-List groups are supposed to act on behalf of the weak and the marginalized. They are supposed to be vital checks and balances institutions that carry our hope for small reforms in a congress beset with patronage and traditional politics.