Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc filed a measure on Thursday seeking to disqualify government contractors and certain high-ranking officials from becoming party-list nominees, amid allegations of anomalies in infrastructure projects involving some party-list representatives.
House Bill 6193, authored by ACT Teachers Party List Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party List Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party List Rep. Renee Co, prohibits individuals who “*is or had been a contractor in any government project, including but not limited to infrastructure projects, whether as an individual or as an incorporator, director, officer, or person in any way related to a corporation that is or had been a contractor*” from being nominated by party-list groups.
The proposed measure also bars former vice mayors, vice governors, governors, district representatives, senators, vice presidents, and presidents from serving as party-list nominees.
Other individuals covered by the ban include:
– Relatives of incumbent government officials up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity
– Former bureau chiefs up to Cabinet-level officials within five years of the party-list elections
– Former provincial police directors and Armed Forces battalion commanders or higher ranks within five years of the polls
– Individuals whose income exceeds the base pay of a party-list representative in the House of Representatives
The bill further requires nominees to genuinely belong to the marginalized and underrepresented sector their group claims to represent.
In their explanatory note, the authors stressed the need to safeguard the integrity of the party-list system.
“There is an urgent need to restore the party-list system to its original purpose, which is to give the marginalized sectors representation and voice in Congress,” Tinio, Elago, and Co said.
“The party-list system has been bastardized throughout the years, and there is therefore an even more urgent need now to strengthen and further improve so as not to make useless and illusory the representation of marginalized and underrepresented sectors of our country.” (ZIA LUNA)
