WITH the 2022 national and local elections fast approaching, vague waters become clearer and clearer. This year’s polls are one of the most controversial yet most game-changing in Philippine history. These are already reshaping the landscape of Philippine politics, owing to all the hype and uproar from national down to the local candidates.
This year’s elections also ripple to one of the best manifestations of democracy and of bringing the law closer to the people – the Party-list System. With 177 groups vying for one of the 63 allotted party-list representative seats in the 19th Congress, the Party-list System is again in the limelight, 24 years after the first set of representatives became the voices of the poor, marginalized and underrepresented in Congress.
But what is the Party-list System of Election?
From the constitutional mandate of allotting 20% of all seats in the House of Representatives to the party-list, it has been 27 years since Republic Act 7941 otherwise known as the Party-list System Act of the Philippines was signed and applied three years later in the 1998 Elections. On its onset, only 14 representatives comprised the first batch of the first ever party-list elected representatives. The 2009 Supreme Court Ruling in the case of Banat vs Comelec changed the formula, enabling those who get at least 2% of the votes to still get one seat each and get more seats after getting overall vote shares. From just 14, we rose to 61 strong party-list representatives currently seated in Congress.
For a long time since its conception, representatives have advocated for the voiceless, giving them a loud safeguard fighting for their just causes. Perhaps the most unique and most beneficial to the people is the chance for a regional representation so the collective voice of the provinces be heard.
Thus, the birth of a game-changing regional representation – USWAG ILONGGO PARTY-LIST, the first and the only party-list representing Region 6.
In Western Visayas, the landscape of politics is also evolving. Despite the twist and turns, one thing remains certain amidst all the noise of the elections – the loud voice and tireless heart of Ilonggo public service.
USWAG ILONGGO PARTY-LIST is just one of the 177 aspirants for a seat in the 19th Congress. What makes it unique as a party-list is not only its regional representation but its genuine agenda to address the key concerns of Ilonggos. As a “new kid on the block”, it is backed with people who have gathered years of public service experience while offering a fresh and new perspective in solving age-old problems.
USWAG ILONGGO PARTY-LIST envisions a progressive Western Visayas by pushing its 5-point agenda that aims to prioritize Ilonggo families as the foundation of the country through adequate healthcare to poor and far-flung municipalities, continuous infrastructure improvements coupled with sustainable tourism programs, improvements in the lives of farmers and fisherfolks through agriculture and fisheries support and scholarships for equal chances of education for the youth.
The recognition of the key problems was from the grassroots level of understanding the needs of the people and the goal of bannering the Ilonggo voice in the Congress, bringing legislation closer to Ilonggos who have less in life but deserve more from the law.
Although the years that came before saw a low turn-out of support for party-list elections, the entry of a regional party-list representation for Western Visayas in the elections game will surely change that. For sure, the Ilonggos will go out and vote for what is truly theirs – USWAG ILONGGO PARTY-LIST.
Different beliefs may envelop the 2022 national and local elections but one thing remains pure, genuine and certain – the strong voice of the Ilonggos and their loud cry for representation drowning out all the noise. And as the party-list representation carries the hopes and dreams of every Ilonggo to Congress, the Ilonggos will rally in unity to bring USWAG ILONGGO there./PN
