EDITORIAL — Screening the partylist system

Come May 12, aside from local and national candidates, we will have to choose from 156 partylists to have representation in the Lower House.

The law creating partylists was clear in its objective; to give voice to marginalized or underrepresented sectors of Philippine society to make sure they don’t get left behind.

But over the years, we have seen people or groups take advantage of the partylist system.

Do some partylists really represent those who are marginalized or underrepresented?

There are partylists of all stripes. We have partylists representing PUJ drivers, athletes, business owners, trisikad drivers, etc. There’s also a parytlist for homeowners, for “marvelous” people, for motorcycle riders, for musicians, for provincianos, for youths, and for tourism workers.

While those are all noble professions, groups, or vocations, do their numbers and issues really necessitate their representation in Congress? We don’t think so.

Then there are partylists based on provinces, regions, or groups of people that already have representation in Congress. Do they really need more representation compared to other places or other groups?

It’s also worth looking at who represent those partylists. Is a representative advocating for the poor really poor, or is he a politician looking to extend his power in another area? Is that person leading a group of drivers really one of them or someone rich who doesn’t really belong with them? Is that youth group not a front for a political party?

Just the same as candidates, the Commission on Elections should have screened partylists and weeded out those that can be considered redundant, or not qualified to represent what they claim.

Just like in a previous editorial where we mentioned that moneyed or famous candidates get on the ballot more than those who aren’t, we aren’t sure what Comelec considers when it came up with the final list.

But because the commission didn’t, it’s now up to us the voters to vote for which parytlist should have representation.