Senator Kiko Pangilinan has renewed his call to overhaul the country’s party-list system, reiterating a measure that seeks to curb political dynasties and prohibit groups with ties to government contracts.
In a Senate bill filed on February 25, Pangilinan proposed amendments to the 31-year-old Party-List System Act, including:
- Disqualification of party-list groups whose nominees or representatives belong to political dynasties within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity.
- Prohibition of succession to the same party-list seat by another member of the same dynasty.
- Ban on party-list organizations directly or indirectly linked to government contractors, including those with relatives or spouses within the second degree of a corporation holding a government contract or subcontract.
Election watchdog Kontra Daya reported that 22 party-list groups in the 20th Congress are allegedly part of political dynasties, while nine others have been flagged for ties to big business interests.
Pangilinan’s proposal is one of eight pending measures seeking to amend the Party-List System Act.
These are currently being tackled in committee hearings at the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, chaired by Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros.
The amendments aim to reinforce the original intent of the party-list system — ensuring genuine sectoral representation in Congress and preventing its capture by entrenched political and economic interests.