Comelec Commisioner Rowena Guanzon.聽INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon is all for the amendment of Republic Act No. 7941 or the Party-list System Act to prevent political families from taking over positions in Congress that should rightfully belong to genuinely underrepresented and marginalized sectors of the country.
Guanzon lamented how mainstream politicians manage to circumvent and take advantage of the party-list law in order to elect members of their families to Congress.
鈥淢ahirap po ang ginagawa po ng political families kasi may nakaupo na sa kanila sa Kongreso, magpapatakbo sila ng party-list representative na pareho na rin nilang apelyido,鈥澛燝uanzon said.
鈥淪o parang dapat 鈥榶ung slot na 鈥榶an dapat 鈥榶an sa marginalized, eh napunta na tuloy sa mga political families din,鈥� she added.
Guanzon said amendment of the Party-list System Act is imperative since there is no anti-dynasty law to curtail such practice of political families.
鈥淎ng panukala ko, i-amend na lang 鈥榶ung party-list law na kapag may nakaupo sa Kongreso na kamag-anak mo within the fourth degree hanggang sa first cousin, hindi ka pwedeng maging nominee ng party-list,鈥� Guanzon said.
鈥溾�榊un na lang i-amend na lang nila 鈥榶ung batas kasi wala namang anti-dynasty law. I-amend 鈥榶ung party-list law. 鈥榊un ang panukala ko,鈥� she added.
The Comelec official stressed party-lists are supposed to represent the marginalized sectors in Congress, but that is not what has been happening.
鈥淓h ngayon ang nangyayari mayayaman naman ang mga nakaupo d鈥檡an, hindi naman totoo silang sector,鈥� she said.
Guanzon likewise emphasized the importance of voters鈥� education since election of these politicians to public office is in their hands.
鈥淰oters鈥� education ang kailangan, na mamili po kayo ng party-list nyo na totoong magre-represent ng sector na d鈥檡an kayo nakahanay or a party-list that represents their interests or concerns,鈥� she said.聽 /kga