(I wrote this sometime in April 2004)
Below is a list of the 57 political and sectoral parties, organizations and coalitions, participating in the party-list (PL) election this coming May 2004 elections. Of the 57 groups, 27 are sectoral parties (indigenous people, workers, women, peasants, etc.), 8 are political parties, and 22 are orgs/coalitions. See, despite many people's "despise" of Congress, so many groups and individuals want to become "Honorable Congressman/woman" also.
In the present Congress (May 2001 elections), of the 226 members of the House of Representatives, 20 (9%) are PL representatives. The dominant PL groups (2 or 3 reps) are Bayan Muna, Assn. of Phil. Electric Cooperatives (APEC), Akbayan, BUHAY, BUTIL Farmers party, Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC), and Sanlakas/Partido Manggagawa.
Why I am in favor of the abolition of the party-list system – through Constitutional Change since the system is constitutionally-mandated, (also the abolition of the Senate):
(1) As earlier discussed, my bias is towards a small or Minimal Government, both in the Executive and Legislative Branches and hence, will require smaller taxes to maintain, smaller interventions in our private lives. Any new govt. agency or institution created or expanded would mean new or higher taxes, duties, fees, etc. exacted from us taxpayers. In the legislature, some benefits to us citizens are unclear, but the costs are very clear: P4.7 billion/year in annual appropriation, tens of billions of pesos of pork-barrel/year, etc.
(2) We either have district representation or PL representation, but not both. What sector or PL group will represent a young female vegetable farmer, physically disabled, Mangyan?
A youth rep. who may be based in M.Manila?
A women's rep. who may also be based in M. Manila or Cebu?
A farmer rep. who may be based in N. Ecija or Davao?
A handicap rep. who may be based in M.Manila or other provinces?
An indigenous people rep. who maybe based in Baguio or Cotabato?
But the lady is living in Oriental Mindoro.
Well, it's possible that all those PL sectoral reps. will take up her cudgels.
It's also possible that not one of them will take up her cudgels as they may not
have the resources to travel all over the country.
(3) Since some PL groups already have nationwide network -- like Bayan Muna, APEC, Akbayan, Sanlakas/PM -- me thinks they can challenge those traditional pol. parties and their politicians in selected provinces and Congressional districts. Hence, the spirit of PL, of voters electing mainly the pol. party and
secondarily the politician representative, is retained, even in District representation system.
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POLITICAL PARTIES / SECTORAL PARTIES / ORGANIZATIONS / COALITION PARTICIPATING IN THE PARTY-LIST SYSTEM
(from www.comelec.gov.ph)
I. SECTORAL PARTY ACRONYM
INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES
1. Assalam Bangsamoro People's Party ASSALAM
2. Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino ALIF
3. Partido Katutubong Pilipino KATUTUBO
4. Suara Bangsamoro SUARA
ELDERLY
1. Aging Pilipino Organization, Inc. AGING PINOY
FISHERFOLKS
1. Bahandi sa Kaumahan ug Kadagatan BAHANDI
HANDICAPPED
1. Alyansa ng may Kapansanang Pinoy AKAPIN
LABOR
1. Partido ng Manggagawa PM
2. Trade Union Congress Party TUCP
OVERSEAS WORKERS
1. Organisasyon ng Manggagawang Mag-aangat sa Republika OMMAR
2. Gabay ng Manggagawang Filipino Party GABAY-OFW
3. Migrante Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and Their Families MIGRANTE
4. Visayan Association of the Philippines BISA
PEASANTS
1. Butil Farmers Party BUTIL
2. National Federation of Small Coconut Farmers Organization, Inc. SCFO
3. Novelty Entrepreneurship & Livelihood for Food, Inc. NELFFI
4. COCOFED - Philippine Coconut Producers Federation, Inc. COCOFED
5. Visayas Farmers Party AGRIFIL
PROFESSIONAL
1. Alliance of Volunteer Educators AVE
URBAN POOR
1. Alagad ALAGAD
2. KALOOB - Kaisang Loob Para sa Marangal na Paninirahan KALOOB
3. People's Movement Against Poverty PMAP
VETERANS SECTOR
1. Veterans Freedom Party VFP
WOMEN
1. Abansei! Pinay
2. Gabriela Women's Party GABRIELA
YOUTH
1. Ang Nagkakaisang Kabataan para sa Sambayanan ANAK NG BAYAN
II. POLITICAL PARTY ACRONYM
1. Akbayan! Citizen's Action Party AKBAYAN!
2. Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy ANAD
3. Anakpawis AP
4. Bayan Muna BAYAN MUNA
5. Bigkis Pinoy Movement BIGKIS
6. Buhay Hayaan Yumabong BUHAY
7. Partido Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa * ISANG BANSA, ISANG DIWA
Subject to the final resolution of SPP No. 04-099,
entitled "Petition to forfeit, cancel and delist the registration
as a political party of Partido Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa",
pending before the First Division.
8. Lapiang Manggagawa LM
III. ORGANIZATION/ COALITION ACRONYM
1. Alyansang Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka, Mangagawang Bukid at Mangingisda (ABA) and
Adhikain at Kilusan ng Ordinaryong Tao (AKO) Coalition ABA-AKO
2. Advocates and Adherents of Social Justice for School Teachers and Allied Workers AASJS
3. Farmers and Fisherfolks Aggrupation of the Philippines, Inc. FFAPI
4. Ahonbayan AHONBAYAN
5. Alab Katipunan AK
6. Alyansa ng Sambayanan Para sa Pagbabago ASAP
7. Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives APEC
8. An Waray AN WARAY
9. Anak Mindanao AMIN
10. Bagong Tao Movement BTM
11. Barangay Association for National Advancement and Transparency BANAT
12. Citizen's Battle Against Corruption CIBAC
13. Cooperative NATCCO Network Party COOP-NATCCO
14. Confederation of Grains Retailers Association of the Philippines GRECON
15. Mindanao Federation of Small Coconut Farmers Organization MSCFO
16. Philippine Association of Retired Persons PARP
17. Philippine Confederation of Drivers Organization and
Alliance of Concerned Transport Operators PCDO-ACTO
18. Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, Inc. PGBI
19. The True Marcos Loyalist (For God, Country and People)
20. Sagip-Kapwa Foundation, Inc. SAGIP-KAPWA
21. Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal Para sa Ikauunlad ng Lokal na Ekonomiya SMILE
22. Sanlakas SANLAKAS
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