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The Perception of Progressive Bloc Party-List Members on Whether to Scrap Or Reform the Party-List System

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The Perception of Progressive Bloc Party-List Members on Whether to Scrap Or Reform the Party-List System The Perception of Progressive Bloc Party-list Members on Whether to Scrap or Reform the Party-list System ―Reforming the Scraps of what is Left‖ A Qualitative Research Thesis Joshua Nathaniel C. Reyes 2013-71414 May 26, 2017 University of the Philippines, Manila Prof. Josefina G. Tayag, DPA 1 Approval Sheet In partial fulfillment of the course requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science, this thesis paper entitled “Reforming the Scraps of what is Left: The Perception of Progressive Bloc Party-list Members on Whether to Scrap or Reform the Party-list System” is presented by Mr. Joshua Nathaniel C. Reyes to the Political Science Program under the Department of Social Sciences of the College of Arts and Sciences – University of the Philippines Manila. This thesis paper has been examined and is recommended for acceptance and approval in partial fulfillemt of the course requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science. ___________________________________ Prof. Josefina G. Tayag, DPA Thesis Adviser University of the Philippines, Manila Wherefore, this thesis paper written by Mr. Joshua Nathaniel C. Reyes entitled “Reforming the Scraps of what is Left: The Perception of Progressive Bloc Party-list Members on Whether to Scrap or Reform the Party-list System” is hereby accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the course requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science of the University of the Philippines, Manila. ____________________________________ Prof. Jerome A. Ong Chairperson – Department of Social Science University of the Philippines, Manila 2 Acknowledgement I would first like to thank my thesis adviser Prof. Josefina G. Tayag, DPA of the University of the Philippines-Manila as she consistently allowed this paper to be my own work and for steering me in the right direction in pursuing my topic. I would also like to thank and commend my adviser in swiftly and meticoulously reading and correcting my drafts leading to a smooth process in finishing this paper. Besides my thesis adviser, I would also like to thank my previous research professors, Prof. Clarinda L. Berja and Prof. Sophia Francesca Lu, in guiding me on how to conceive my topic in a qualitative and quantitative perspective. I would like to show my gratitude to Prof. Carl Marc L. Ramota, as I first encountered my topic as a report in my Political Science 14 class. My interest on Party-List System of the Philippines was first conceived in the said class as I saw the potential of the system in having systematic change in Philippine politics. I thank Sam Bautista of Bayan Muna Party-List, Marinello Alcantara of Anakpawis Party-List, Mark Quinto of Kabataan Party-List, Jolly of Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Malou of Gabriela Women‘s Party, and Nica of National Union of People‘s Lawyers for being my contact persons of their organizations and in identifying and providing the interviewees of my study. Of course, I would also like to thank all of the interviewees and Atty. Neri Colmenares as my Key Informant, for their time and effort in providing their knowledge and perception on the Party-List System of the Philippines. Lastly, I would like to thank my mother, Belina C. Reyes, for supporting me in my study. 3 Abstract The study will examine the perceptions of the progressive party-lists members on the Party-list System that influence their view whether to scrap or reform the Party-List System as it is perceived to be „bastardized‟. The Party-list System has been subjected into a lot of interpretation by the Supreme Court on how to implement the law. The study would be an evaluative qualitative study on the current implementation of the Party-list System. The need for immediate attention to assess the system is imperative with the pronouncement of the current President Duterte to scrap the system as he plans to amend the Constitution through a Constitutional Assembly. Through in-depth interviews and a key informant interview, the perception of the members from the progressive party-lists on the Party-list system will be evaluated. The opinions and evaluations of the progressive party-lists members will provide points for reform, or if the system is already deemed to be unsalvageable, suggestions of another system for the representation of the marginalized and underrepresented. 4 Table of Contents Page Chapter I…………………………………………………………………………………………………….9 Introduction…..…….……………………………………………………………………………………….9 Research Question………………………………………………………………………………..10 Tentative Answer….……………………………………………………………………………...10 Objectives……………...…………………………………………………………………………10 Review of Related Literature………….…...……………………………………………………………...12 Theoretical Framework……………………….……………...……………………………………………20 Conceptual Frameworks..………………………………………………………………………...22 Definition of Terms……………………………………………………………………………….24 Research Design…...………………………………………………………………………………………25 Methodology………………………………………………………………………………………………25 Data Gathering…...……………………………………………………………………………….25 Data Collection Tools…………………………………………………………………………….27 Setting of the Study……………………………………………………………………………….27 Sampling Strategy………………………………………………………………………………...28 Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………………………………28 Data Analysis Method…………………………………………………………………………….29 Chapter II…………………………………………………………………………………….……………31 The Philippine Party-List System ………………………………………………………………………...31 Philippine Political Parties: Dynastic in Nature…………………………………………………………...31 Background of the Party-List System……………………………………………………………………..33 The Constitution on the Party-List System……………………………………………………….33 The Party-List System Act………………………………………………………………………..34 Purpose of the Party-List System…………………………………………………………………34 Supreme Court Decisions………………………………………………………………………...35 Formulae Proposed and/or Used from 1998-2016 Elections for the Party-list System…………..42 Chapter III…………………………………………………………………………………………………46 5 Bastardization of the Party-List System…………………………………………………………………...46 Negation of the Party-List System Law on the Principle of Proportional Representation…...…..46 Glitches in Screening of Accredited Party-Lists …………………………………….…………...47 Entry of Non-marginalized and Overrepresented………………………………………………...48 Lower Voter Turnout.……………………………………………………………..……………...49 Power Grid in the Congress………………………………………………………………………49 Chapter IV…………………………………………………………………………………………………53 Progressive Party-Lists Background and Track Record…………………………………………………..53 Bayan Muna Party-List…………………………………………………………………………...53 Anakpawis Party-List……………………………………………………………………………..55 Kabataan Party-List………………………………………………………………………………58 ACT-Teachers Party-List…………………………………………………………………………60 Gabriela Women‘s Party………………………………………………………………………….63 Chapter V………………………………………………………………………………………………….70 Discussion of Interviews…………………………………………………………………………………..70 Membership……………………………………………………………………………………………….70 On understanding the concept of the Party-list System…………………………………..……………….70 Definition of the Party-List System………………………….…………………………….……..70 Duty of a Party-List Member…………………………………..…………………………………71 Exclusivity to the Marginalized and Underrepresented…………………………………………..71 Identity of the Represented and the Representative………………..……………………………..72 On the principle of ‗representation‘ and on the evaluation of the Party-list System……………………...73 Principle of Representation……………………………………………………………………….73 Ensuring the Representation of the Marginalized Sectors………………………………………..73 Legislations of the Party-List……………………………………………………………………..74 Positive Impacts in Being a Party-List Member………………………………………………….74 Bastardization of the Party-List System………………………………………………………….75 6 Evaluation the Implementation of the Commission on Elections………………………………...75 Perception on Other Party-lists……………………………………………………………….......76 On whether to scrap or reform the Party-list System……………………………………………………...77 Stand on Pres. Duterte in Abolishing the System………………………………………………...77 Losses in Abolishing the System…………………………………………………………………77 Pursuing to Abolish the System…………………………………………………………………..77 Recommendation………………………………………………………………………………………….78 Key Informant Interview…………………………………………………………………………………..78 Chapter VI…………………………………………………………………………………………………80 Analysis, Conclusion, and Recommendation……………………………………………………………..80 References…………………………………………………………………………………………………84 Appendixes………………………………………………………………………………………….……..86 Appendix A: Interview Guide for the Researcher ……………………………………………….87 Appendix B: Recruitment Letter………………………………………………………………….89 Appendix C: Informed Consent Form……………………………………………………………90 Appendix D: Genuine Party-List Group and Nominee Bill………………………………………92 Appendix E: Coding for Themes and Subthemes………………………………………………...99 Appendix F: Interview Transcript……………………………………………………………….147 List of Figures Page Figure 1. Conceptual Framework on the Current Situation of the Party-list System ………………….…22 Figure 2. Conceptual Framework on the Ideal Situation of the Party-list System………………………..23 List of Tables Page Table 1. Data Matrix………………………………………………………………………………………25 Table 2. Positioned Member of Bayan Muna Party-List Themes…………………………………………99 Table 3. Ordinary Members of Bayan Muna Party-List Themes………………………………………..107 Table 4. Positioned Member of Anakpawis Party-List Themes…………………………………………112 Table 5. Ordinary Members of Anakpawis Party-List Themes………………………………………….118 7 Table 6. Positioned Member of Kabataan Party-List Themes…………………………………………...125 Table 7. Ordinary Members of Kabataan Party-List Themes……………………………………………132
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