Benhur, Luigi revive call for 2-party system

CEBU, Philippines - Representative Benhur Salimbangon of the fourth district of Cebu is calling to revive the two-party system to strengthen the country’s political system.

“I believe that if we want to strengthen our political system, we should switch back to the two-party system,” he said during the 888 Forum.

He added that with the multi-party system, politics nowadays is no longer platform-based but personality based.

This was seconded by Representative Luigi Quisumbing of the sixth district.

The country used to have a two-party political system until 1972. But when former President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, he formed his own party, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) or the New Society Movement composed mainly of his loyal allies from the Nacionalista Party and Liberal Party. This was the start of several other groups to be formed.

Meanwhile, Salimbangon added that Congress is also looking into the possibility of having a completely computerized election especially with the plan of having a synchronized election.

Earlier, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile backs the passing of the bill synchronizing the elections from the position of president down to the barangay level. The Senate is now discussing the approval of the bill, lobbied by the National Liga ng mga Barangay and was passed by the House of Representatives.

The National Liga Ng Mga Barangay pushed for this bill to reschedule the 2013 barangay and SK elections to 2016 in accordance with its desire to synchronize the village elections with the national elections and the holding of regular barangay elections every six years thereafter, limited to two consecutive terms.

Enrile said that the two-party system will be back as well once there will be synchronization of elections. The country will be split into two political parties.

“Binubuo namin ang United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) para suportahan ang mga tamang gagawin ng mga namamahala ng ating bansa at pag hindi na tama ang kanilang ginagawa, kasama kami ng mga tao sa pag-remind sa kanila na dapat ituwid nila ang mga pagkakamali,” he said, during his visit here in Cebu along with his son, Jack Enrile at the Cebu Grand Convention Center. (We formed UNA to help the people be the watchdog of government.)

“Kasi gusto rin naming maisulong ang tunay na demokrasya. Ma-remodel at mabago ang Pilipinas,” he added. (We envision a true democracy to reign in the country.)

Enrile is optimistic that his colleagues will support the passage of the said bill. 

According to Salimbangon, the picos machine is just a counting machine and it is not enough for the realization of the proposed synchronized elections.

“This will be corrected if we will go to computerized election,” he said. — (FREEMAN)