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Party-list system, to abolish or not? Election experts weigh in

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Mico Abarro, ABS-CBN News

MANILA—The Philippines&#x27; party-list system should not be abolished but reformed, according to election experts on Saturday. Lawyer Atty. Emil Marañon III told ABS-CBN&#x27;s TeleRadyo that the system remained valuable because there were party-lists that spoke for sectors not represented by district representatives, such as workers and farmers. &quot;It doesn&#x27;t mean na because naabuso na ’yung sistema, nawawala na ’yung purpose or proper representation,&quot; Marañon said. Election watchdog Kontra Daya <a href="https://web.facebook.com/kontra.daya/posts/4386720948094070?_rdc=1&amp;_rdr" target="_blank">said</a> earlier this month that 120 out of 177 party-list groups were &quot;identified with political clans and big businesses, as well as for having incumbent local officials, connections with the government and military, unknown or unclear advocacies and representations; and pending court cases and criminal charges.&quot;Marañon said that a confluence of factors — including a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that made it possible for non-members of marginalized sectors to represent organizations allowed to run as party-list groups — led to the system&#x27;s current state.University of the Philippines Political Science Associate Professor Jean S. Encinas Franco said Congress should review the 1995 Party-List System Law, along with members of the academe and other sectors, to fix flaws. &quot;Talagang i-invite ’yung iba&#x27;t-ibang sektor. The academe, ’yung tumakbong party-list na matino at natalo. Dapat kunin yung opinyon nila,&quot; Franco said. For this to happen, Kontra Daya convenor Danilo Arao said the public should pressure Congress for reforms.&quot;Sa mga nakaraang Kongresso, meron nang mga initiatiba para magkaroon ng amendment sa Party-List System Act, kaya lang hindi ito inaksyunan,&quot; Arao said. &quot;Kailangan talaga mag-create ng public pressure dito.&quot; ’Yung Kongreso, magkakaroon din ng realization . . . Or mapipilitan ’yang umaksyon kahit ayaw nila basta nandiyan ’yung pressure mula sa publiko.&quot; <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/03/11/22/nabalahura-party-list-system-reforms-sought">&#x27;Nabalahura&#x27;: Lawmakers back calls to amend party-list system</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/04/22/a-backdoor-for-dynasties-comelec-stands-by-party-list-picks">A backdoor for dynasties? Comelec stands by party-list picks</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1960384" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

The Party-List System Act needs to be reformed so that the truly marginalized sectors of society benefit from the system, a lawyer says.

Party-list system, to abolish or not? Election experts weigh in

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Party-list system, to abolish or not? Election experts weigh in

Mico Abarro,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 12, 2022 10:55 AM PHT

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Halalan 2022

2022 Elections

Party-list system

Party-list

Congress

House of Representatives

Emil Marañon III

Jean Encinas Franco

Danilo Arao

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