Op-ed: The myth of the party list system in the Philippines

No, the party list system, contrary to popular belief, was never designed to “give voice to the voiceless.” Some of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, including the late Jesuit priest Joaquin Bernas, did envision a permanent and proportional representation for poor and disadvantaged Filipinos and pushed strongly for incorporating social justice in the nation’s fundamental law. Alas, their dream did not materialize, as the majority opted for a system that favored no specific constituency or special interest. The outcome of this was the party list system law of 1995, a piece of legislation that ultimately failed to uphold the rights of the underrepresented, despite the public’s romanticized notions of this novel electoral mechanism. [ . . . ] Meanwhile, calls for reform are growing louder. Senate President Francis Escudero on Thursday said there was a need to revisit the party list system “given that the intent of the framers seems to have been subverted, not only in the party list law but also based on the numerous decisions of the court.”
Read the full article here: Inquirer