Acronym representation

The question is, who are the marginalized? What groups are considered under-represented? The Constitution says party-list seats shall be filled by election from the labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, “and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector.”

Are women marginalized in our society or underrepresented in Congress? We ask because a lady lawmaker was overheard that there was no need for sectoral representation from her sex because the House has already a considerable number of congresswomen. How many more are needed to give women significant representation? One-third? As many as possible?

We need a law to define with vigor words “marginalized” and “underrepresented,” the magic words that qualify the hopefuls for party-list elections. The power to determine eligibility currently lies with the Commission on Elections, in bank or by a division.

Eligibility seems to be self-determined or self-defined by organizations seeking party-list seats. An organization has to argue with the Comelec why its cause or membership is entitled to representation.

The gay-lesbian-bisexual coalition had a hard time persuading the Comelec to qualify it for office. The commissioners would not believe there are hundreds of thousands of gays in society, making useful contributions to the national life.

Paramilitary groups (Bantay), including the CAFGU militia and death squads, believe they are saving the country from communism. But they consider themselves “marginalized” and “underrepresented” in the House.

Small entrepreneurs (Kasangga) that include balut vendors and balloon hawkers succeeded in convincing the Comelec they were on the brink and needed representation.

We have a new party-list congressman from a group that represents innocent suspects unjustly tossed in jail (Kapatiran ng Nakakulong na Walang Sala or Kakusa)

Expect a bigger field in the next election because many groups and individuals continue to feel they are marginalized in this cruel world and are underrepresented in the House of Nograles.

The preneed companies are expected to coalesce into a national organization of preneeds (or No-Need) and to lobby the Comelec for recognition because they are facing extinction. Expect the Association of Rural Banks of the Republic (Arbor) to campaign for a seat because mismanagement has hit their ranks.

Waiting for their place in the sun and in the Batasan Building are groups that include the Alliance of Smokers Facing Extinction (ASFE), the Aggrupation of Contract-Only Labor (Acol) and the Alliance of Business Processing Outsourcing Workers (Abpow).

The Comelec will be busy processing applications but may despair over the abundance of party-list groups whose acronyms begin with “A” and “B.” Parties prefer these acronyms because they top the list on the ballot and are likely to be chosen by voters who do not even appreciate what they stand for. To democratize the system the Comelec may present a mixed listing or with acronyms that start with the letter “Z.”