THE National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) called for a ban on government contractors from party-lists.
The group said in a position paper dated Sunday and made public Tuesday that any reform legislation needs to address several core elements: genuine representation and sectoral voting; anti-dynasty and conflict-of-interest barriers; structural reforms for true proportional representation; transparency, campaign finance and naming safeguards; and strengthening political parties and combating turncoatism, or party-switching.
“Relatives of sitting elective officials, up to at least the second to fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity, should be explicitly disqualified from serving as party-list nominees,” Namfrel said regarding anti-dynasty and conflict-of-interest barriers.
“Individuals who are owners, officers, or partners of businesses with active government contracts or state-funded projects should be disqualified to prevent the weaponization of the party-list system for economic gain,” the group added.
The position paper was submitted to the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation (CERPP) for Monday’s deliberation on proposed party-list reform bills.
“We commend the Senate CERPP for taking up this important legislative undertaking. The reform of the party-list system is long overdue, and Namfrel is pleased to offer its observations and recommendations to help guide the Committee’s deliberations,” the position paper read.
Among its recommendations were consolidating several Senate bills and their best provisions, ensuring constitutional soundness, removing red-tagging provisions, pursuing companion legislation, protecting genuine grassroots organizations, strengthening political parties and addressing turncoatism.
“The reform legislation should include provisions that promote party stability, including provisions limiting party-switching (turncoatism), to prevent the use of party-list organizations as mere electoral vehicles abandoned after elections,” the group said.
In a party-list system, Namfrel said nominees must demonstrate a “documented track record of sectoral advocacy” of at least three to five years within the specific sector they wish to represent.
Each group would be required to submit a minimum of 10 nominees vetted and approved by its highest decision-making body.
The group also called on the Commission on Elections to extend the review period to 120 days before an election for background vetting and the conduct of evidentiary public hearings on applicant organizations.
“Party-list reform cannot be viewed in isolation. Namfrel urges the committee to consider reforms that strengthen political parties more broadly, including provisions that limit turncoatism and party-switching and that encourage stable, ideologically grounded party organizations rather than personality-based electoral vehicles,” the poll watchdog said.
“The party-list system was born from a noble democratic aspiration: to ensure that the voices of the poor, the vulnerable, and the historically excluded would find a seat in the legislative halls of power. After three decades, the system is in dire need of restoration. Namfrel believes that the legislative will to reform it now exists and urges the committee to seize this moment,” it added.
