Party-list bloc formed

MANILA, Philippines—At least 34 incoming party-list members have agreed to form a voting bloc in the 16th Congress to ensure a more significant role in lawmaking.

The party-list bloc has tapped Nicanor Briones of the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. (AGAP) to head the third-biggest political group in the House, according to the group’s spokesman, Ako Bicol party-list representative Rodel Batocabe.

Batocabe said the bloc’s primary goal in the next Congress would be to amend Republic Act 791, or the Party-List System Act.

“We want to have clear-cut rules on the party-list system, specifically who are eligible to run. The system has been hounded by controversies in every election since the party-list system was adopted due to conflicting interpretations of the law. We hope to put an end to that by overhauling the rules and making,” he said.

The other officers of the party-list bloc are ABS’s Catalina G. Leonen-Pizarro (secretary-general), Cibac’s Sherwin Tugna (assistant secretary-general), and Buhay’s Irwin Tieng (treasurer).

The party-list bloc’s roster is expected to increase to 40 after the Commission on Election finally decides on the eligibility of other party-list representatives.

Batocabe said the bloc would vote for Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. for Speaker in the opening of session on Monday.

As part of the majority coalition led by the ruling Liberal Party, it can expect to get a proportionate share of committee positions.

The party-list bloc wants to be represented on all 65 regular committees and 15 special committees in the House, in proportion to the mandatory 20 percent representation of party-list members in Congress.

The rest of the party-list House members—at least 4 party-list representatives and the seven members of the Makabayan bloc of militant party-list groups—are expected to join the House minority.