7 out of 10 Filipinos unaware of party-list

Pulse Asia disclosed that fewer Filipinos know about the party-list system, with just a few months before the May 2010 national elections.

According to Pulse Asia’s January 2010 Pre-Election Survey Voter Preference for Party-List Group, about 7 out of 10 Filipinos are unaware about the system which promotes proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives.

Only 3 out of 10 Filipinos (31%) are aware of such system. Of that number, 51% of them come from the National Capital Region.

Such levels were registered just 4 months before the May 10 polls during the period of January 22 to 26.

Pulse Asia also revealed that the present level of awareness of the party-list system (3 out of 10) dropped from the awareness level recorded in April 2007 when almost 6 out of 10 Filipinos knew about the party-list system.

The 2010 party-list system awareness level is also the lowest that was recorded by Pulse Asia since 2004.

The party-list system was introduced in the Philippine elections in 1998. The polls in May would be the 5th time that Filipinos will vote for their party-list representatives.

Republic Act No. 7941 or the “Party-List System Act” states that a voter is entitled to vote for the party, organization, or coalition he or she wants represented in the House of Representatives.

The party-list should be registered national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions who represent marginalized and underrepresented sectors.

They also “lack well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as a whole.” –abs-cbnNEWS.com