Escudero sees need to revisit party-list law

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero stressed Thursday the need to revisit Republic Act 7491 or the Party-List System Act following the release of study results showing that over half of party-list organizations running in Eleksyon 2025 do not represent marginalized sectors.

"I believe that there is a need to revisit it 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," Escudero said in a message to reporters.

For Escudero, the review on the law must include the identification of sectors that need representation in Congress.

"Any such review should begin by identifying 'What are sectors that comprise Philippine Society today that need representation in Congress?' This list should be exhaustive and to the exclusion of other sectors that will not be included. After this, we can decide on the process on how we will elect who will represent each sector," he said.

The Senate chief said this was already incorporated in the law creating the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

"We have done something similar in the BARMM law where we distinguished sectoral from party representatives," he said.

On Wednesday, election watchdog Kontra Daya reported that 55.13% or 85 of 156 party-list groups seeking seats in the House of Representatives do not represent the poor or the underrepresented.

Forty party-list groups have links to political clans, 25 have links to big businesses, 18 have police or military connections, seven have corruption cases, and 11 party-lists have dubious advocacies, Kontra Daya said.

Nine provided limited information in the forms they submitted to the Commission on Elections.

In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that sectoral parties or organizations seeking accreditation under the party-list system may either be "marginalized and underrepresented" or lacking in "well-defined political constituencies."

The high court said those who belong to marginalized and underrepresented sectors include labor, peasant, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, handicapped, veterans, and overseas workers.

Professionals, the elderly, women, and youth are the groups that lack "well-defined political constituencies," the SC said.

"The nominees of sectoral parties or organizations that represent the 'marginalized and underrepresented' or that represent those who lack 'well-defined political constituencies' either must belong to their respective sectors or must have a track record of advocacy for their respective sectors," the SC added.

National parties or organizations and regional parties or organizations may also participate in the party-list system, according to the decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News

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