DILG seeks to revisit party-list system

DILG Spokesman and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that the original intent of the 1987 Constitution should be redirected. (File Photo: Jonathan Malaya/Facebook)

MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) wants to revisit the party-list provision in the 1987 Constitution, stressing that it has not been serving its main purpose.

DILG Spokesman and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said that the original intent of the 1987 Constitution should be redirected.

“I think it’s about time to revisit the party-list system kasi [because] the party list system as it evolved in the Philippines has been taken over by certain interest,” Malaya told reporters on Thursday when sought for a comment.

“A lot of studies have shown that some political parties have been taken by some clans,” Malaya added.

The DILG official explained that in other parts of the world, it is called “proportional representation system.”

Under this system, Malaya said, voting is for the mainstream political parties and from within marginalized and underrepresented sectors are represented.

“You don’t have to create another party for the youth or another party for the woman for the farmers. Within those political parties, meron na doing [it has] sector na youth may sector na farmer [that has sector in youth, farmer],” he said.

Under Republic Act (RA) 7941 or the Party-list System Act, party-list were created to “promote proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives, ”

Also stated in Section 2 of the law is development and guarantee of “a full, free and open party system in order to attain the broadcast possible representation of party, sectoral or group interests”.

While in the 1987 Constitution, it says that House should have representation for the marginalized and under-represented sectors except religious groups.