The goal of the Philippine party-list system has always been to give marginalized and under-represented sectors in the country the opportunity to have a voice in that karaoke bar called the Batasang Pambansa. However, I’ve always been under the impression that many party-list organizations are a) front organizations for causes already represented in Congress, or b) organizations that are are not truly marginalized and under-represented, or c) the Commission on Elections turns to an elitist conspiracy who monopolizes the people’s choices in their democracy.
Reading the news on how the COMELEC barred the “Alyansa ng mga Sabungero” from the party-list game, when RA 7941 is very clear on what qualifies for party-list organizations. So for the benefit of the grossly under-represented organizations and groups in the Philippines who are being denied their one shot and their one vote (I mean that in so many ways; a vote is still a vote, and you don’t call COMELEC Commissioners by their nicknames over the phone to protect a million of them), here are five under-represented organizations in the Philippines whom I believe deserve a shot at the party-list system.
