Gigi Grande, ABS-CBN News

PARTY-LIST groups are naturally handicapped when it comes to the passage of laws, according to Ramon Casiple, the executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform.“They’re too small a group--just a maximum of 20 percent (of the 292-member Lower House). Even if they unite among themselves, they couldn’t pass a law (unless they) negotiate with major parties,” he said.It may be difficult, but not impossible. A number of them have successfully done so.Based on the website of the House of Representatives, ABS-CBN found 19 out of 41 party-list groups have principally authored bills that became law in the 16th Congress.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation/02/infograph1-021616.jpg"/></figure></div>Among these are MAGDALO, a party representing retired and active AFP personnel and their families, and AKBAYAN, a party affiliated with the Aquino administration.MAGDALO’s two representatives authored the House version of six laws which include: an act declaring the Armed Forces of the Filipino people week; Strategic Trade Management Act; and an act increasing burial assistance for veterans.A multi-sectoral progressive political party, AKBAYAN led the passage of five measures, including an act to decriminalize premature marriages and the Graphic Health Warning Law.President Aquino III is expected to sign a sixth bill into law anytime soon.AKBAYAN’s leaders--Joel Rocamora, Etta Rosales, Walden Bello, Ronald Llamas, and Risa Hontiveros--supported Aquino’s candidacy in the 2010 presidential elections. The President later appointed Llamas, Hontiveros, Rosales, and Rocamara to various government posts. Bello bolted the party in 2015ABS-CBN last week reported some noteworthy party-list groups. It expanded the list after AKBAYAN found that data from the official website of the House of Representatives had limitations, listing no more than one principal author per bill. Principal authors beyond the first one are lumped together with co-authors.READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/02/14/16/report-card-would-you-vote-for-these-party-list-groups-again">REPORT CARD: Would you vote for these party-list groups again?</a><div>VOICE OF TEACHERS, SEAFARERS? </div>ANGKLA, which represents seafarers and the maritime industry, authored three bills that became law, including the Seafarers Protection Act.A-Teacher and ACT-Teacher each have three. These parties represent teachers and have styled themselves as champions of education.<div>ADMINISTRATION CRITIC</div>A staunch critic of the Aquino administration, BAYAN MUNA was the principal author of two bills that became law. A third, the SSS Pension Hike bill, was vetoed by President Aquino. A fourth one awaits its fate at the Office of the President.AN WARAY, AKO BICOL, CIBAC, and DIWA each authored two bills that became law.APPEND, ANG NARS, AGBIAG, ABS, 1-CARE, 1-SAGIP, BUHAY, KABATAAN and KALINGA each authored one bill that became law.But AGBIAG’s Patricio Antonio, AN WARAY’s Rep. Niel Montejo and APPEND’s Pablo Nava III also appear in ABS-CBN’s list of eight least productive party-list representatives in comparison with other party-list representatives. They authored fewer bills than most of their colleagues. Antonio authored only one bill since July 2013, Montejo authored two and Nava authored four.READ: <a href="http:// http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/02/14/16/report-card-would-you-vote-for-these-party-list-groups-again">REPORT CARD: Would you vote for these party-list groups again?</a><div>HANGING IN THE BALANCE </div>ABONO also appears in the list of least productive party-list representatives, with Rep. Pacoy Ortega authoring zero bills and Rep. Conrad Estrella III authoring just two in the last thirty months.But Estrella is one of several authors of the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, which is awaiting the President’s signature. Other party-list groups that authored bills awaiting the President’s signature include COOP-NATCCO, which represents cooperatives; AAMBIS-OWA, AGRI, and AGAP all represent farmers and fisherfolk.<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/nation/02/infograph2-021616.jpg"/></figure></div><div>DELIVERING THE GOODS</div>Casiple said one reliable standard to gauge a party’s performance is the quality of bills filed by these groups.“Kung nag file ka ng bill na maganda and you know the tactics, how to pass it and you actually pass it, then I would vote for you. Not only did you deliver the goods in terms of the bills but also passed it into law,” he said.<div>WHO DO YOU REPRESENT? </div>Professor Edna Co of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance said bills filed by party-list representatives must reflect the needs and demands of the people it purports to represent.“Let’s say for example that you’re a teachers’ group. What is the clamor, the demands of teachers? These are the bills that should be legislated. If you don’t see that, then you must ask- who do you represent?”With over a hundred party-list groups running in the May 9, 2016 elections, scrutinizing the track record and nominees of parties have become a tedious task.But Co said it is the responsibility of the electorate to do so. “What bills did you pass? What did you stand for as a party? You didn’t deliver, so why will I vote for you?”RELATED ARTICLE: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/02/12/16/how-napoles-daughter-nearly-became-an-ofw-party-list-rep">How Napoles&#x27; daughter nearly became an OFW party-list rep</a>

PARTY-LIST groups are naturally handicapped when it comes to the passage of laws. It may be difficult, but not impossible. A number of them have successfully done so. 

For these party-list groups, it's 'mission possible'

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For these party-list groups, it's 'mission possible'

Gigi Grande,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 16, 2016 09:28 AM PHT

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