Comelec forms body to review party-list law
MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has formed a committee to review Republic Act No. 7941 or the Party-list System Act, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes told Radyo Inquirer 990AM Friday.
“We need amendments of the law itself [but] I don’t think we will be able to amend it now,” Brillantes said.
“We now have a review group to attend to that (Party-list System Act) after 2013 in preparation for 2016,” he said. “Kahit isang legacy lang may maiwan ako.”
Currently, there are 184 party-list groups and 172 applicants. Under the Party-list System Act, only 12 marginalized and underrepresented sectors can seek congressional representation: Labor, peasant, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, veterans, overseas workers and professionals.
However, Brillantes said applicants now even include groups of senior citizens, retirees, anti-drug, anti-crime, former drug addicts and even school dropouts.
Article continues after this advertisement“They are not one of the 12,” he said.
Comelec is currently at the final stage of screening the party-list applicants, Brillantes said, adding it is expected to be finished by end of October.
