Election watchdog Kontra Daya has raised concerns about the representation of marginalized sectors in the 20th Congress, stating that most of the 63 party-list representatives do not genuinely advocate for these groups. This came after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed the winning party-list groups for the upcoming Congress.
According to Kontra Daya, 32 out of the 54 party-list groups that secured seats are associated with political dynasties, big businesses, the military, or individuals facing corruption allegations. Among them, 20 are connected to political families, nine are linked to large corporations, four have ties to law enforcement or the military, three are entangled in corruption issues, and one lacks sufficient public information.
Two notable groups flagged by Kontra Daya are Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon, which have pending disqualification cases. The Comelec has suspended their proclamation until the issues are resolved.
The Party-List System Act is intended to ensure “proportional representation” in the House of Representatives for Filipinos from marginalized and underrepresented sectors. However, Kontra Daya argues that the system has been compromised, with political clans extending their influence across multiple branches of government.
Data from the ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit further revealed that two-thirds of the winning party-list nominees belong to political families, including relatives of high-ranking officials. This includes the Romualdez clan, whose members are related to House Speaker Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Other prominent families with party-list connections include the Dutertes in Davao, the Poe-Llamanzares family, the Villanuevas, and the Revillas, among many others.
Kontra Daya has called for urgent reforms in the party-list system to restore its original purpose of representing marginalized groups rather than becoming a platform for political dynasties.
