Among the top-ranking groups in the latest party-list vote count are three newcomers. At least two of these party-list groups have been linked in some way to the Arroyo administration with one having openly endorsed a local candidate from Kampi, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos party, in the recently concluded senatorial and local elections. Meanwhile, three more are linked with the religious sector.
BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO
Bulatlat
Election Watch
Vol. VII, No. 17 June 3-9, 2007
MANILA, Philippines — The contest for seats for party-list representatives is so far being dominated mostly by groups that have served in the past three Congresses. But among the top-ranking groups in the latest party-list vote count are three newcomers.
At least three of these party-list groups have been linked in some way to the Arroyo administration with one having openly endorsed a local candidate from Kampi, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos party, in the recently-concluded senatorial and local elections. Meanwhile, three more are linked with the religious sector.
The party-list system is a product of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that marginalized and underrepresented sectors of society shall be given representation in Congress. The 1987 Constitution has a provision that representatives from party-list groups are to be allotted 20 percent of the total number of seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Congress.
For three consecutive terms under the 1987 Constitution, representatives from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and other sectors as may be provided by law except the religious sector were selected or elected to fill half of the seats allocated to party-list representatives.
Republic Act No. 7941 was passed in 1995 as the enabling law for the constitutional provision for a party-list system. The law also adds the elderly, the handicapped, veterans, overseas workers, and professionals to the list of sectors that party-list groups are supposed to represent.
The Constitution provides that for a party-list group to qualify to send a representative to Congress, it must win at least two percent of the total votes cast for party-list groups or about 269,793 for this years elections. Depending on the number of votes it gains, every party-list group can send a maximum of three representatives to Congress.
There are 91 party-list groups competing for seats at the House of Representatives this year.
Based on the canvass by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of 3 p.m., June 1, the top 16 contenders in the party-list race are as follows, in order of ranking: Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay or Let Life Grow) with 1,111,674 votes; Bayan Muna (People First) 920,848; Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) 727,863; Gabriela Womens Party (GWP) 575,112; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) 475,499; Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action, Cooperation and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms (A TEACHER) 444,113; Akbayan 428,586; Alagad (literally, Agent) 403,880; Butil Farmers Party (Butil or Grain) 398,375; Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan (Batas) 370,781; Cooperative-National Confederation of Cooperatives (COOP-NATCCO) 349,466; Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) 348,193; Abono 333,419; Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP) 308,664; Alliance of Rural Concerns (ARC) 294,764; and An Waray 273,430.
Buhay and Bayan Muna are now assured of three seats each, while Cibac and GWP will each be able to send two based on the latest count. The others in the top 16 are all assured of one seat each.
Winning newcomers
The newcomers among the top 16 party-list contenders are A TEACHER, Abono, AGAP, Batas, and ARC.
A TEACHERs nominees are: Mariano Piamonte, Jr., Ulpiano Sarmiento III, Carolona Porio, Nenita Habulan, and Juliet Cortuna.
Piamonte is a former president of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), while Sarmiento was a member of its National Board and a former undersecretary at the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS, now Department of Education or DepEd).
The CEAP advocates among other things government and NGO (non-government organization) support to its small member schools on issues affecting Catholic education.
Art. II, Sec. 6 of the Constitution provides for the separation of church and state as an inviolable policy.
2007 Elections
