Senator Robin Padilla on Tuesday pushed for an aggressive overhaul of the country’s party-list system, throwing his legislative weight behind a measure designed to return the electoral mechanism to truly marginalized sectors.
Padilla manifested his intent to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 2090, also known as the Party-List Reform Act. The proposed legislation seeks to impose a strict ban on political dynasties and government contractors from running as party-list nominees, a safeguard meant to stop institutional abuse, conflicts of interest, and the hijacking of the system by wealthy elites.
The senator recalled that the historical framework of the system was built with clear, inclusive intentions.
“Noong ipinasa ang Republic Act No. 7941 noong 1995, malinaw naman ang layunin ng batas: bigyan ng boses at prayoridad ang mga marginalized at underrepresented sectors—tulad ng mga magsasaka, manggagawa, kababaihan, katutubo, at kabataan,” Padilla said.
However, the lawmaker lamented that the core spirit of the foundational law has been deeply eroded over the years.
He pointed out a alarming trend from the 2025 midterm elections, noting that over half of the accredited party-list organizations failed to represent any actual marginalized group.
“Ang sistemang para sa walang tinig, ay napasok ng maiimpluwensya. Ang sistemang para sa underrepresented na sektor ay nagamit ng mga politikal na dinastiya,” he lamented.
“Sa halip na representasyon, ngayon ay nagkaroon ng distorsyon. Marami na ang nagsabi—kahit sa mga pagdinig ng Senado—na ang party-list system ay naabuso at nalihis sa tunay nitong layunin,” he added.
Padilla insisted that party-list nominees must possess authentic ties to the sectors they claim to champion, rather than using them as mere political covers.
To enforce accountability, he called for the explicit disqualification of individuals belonging to entrenched political clans and demanded absolute transparency regarding nominees’ Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).
“Ang panukalang ito ay kaakibat ng mas malawak nating laban—laban sa political dynasties, laban sa political monopoly, at para sa pagbubukas ng gobyerno sa mas maraming Pilipino.”