6 of 10 Pinoys unaware of party-list system — Pulse Asia

Barely a month before the country holds its first nationwide automated elections, majority of Filipinos are still "not aware" of the party-list system, a recent survey showed. According to a Pulse Asia survey conducted on 3,000 adults from March 21 to 28, almost six in 10 registered voters — or 58 percent — "still have not heard or read anything about the party-list system." Although the level of awareness in the party-list system last March (42 percent) has increased from last February’s ratings (38 percent), the figure is still "significantly lower" than the figures at about the same period in the 2007 party-list elections, which Pulse Asia pegged at 53 percent.

The Philippines has held four party-list elections since 1998, three years after Republic Act 7941 or the Party-list System Act was passed by Congress. The same Pulse Asia survey showed that only 10 of the 187 party-list groups participating in the May 10 polls would be able to get the support of at least two percent of the electorate if the elections were held in March. Based on the survey, these mostly re-electionist party-list groups are Gabriela, Bayan Muna, Akbayan, Anakpawis, A Teacher, Senior Citizens, An Waray, Buhay, AKB and Butil. RA 7941 states that "parties, organizations, and coalitions receiving at least two percent of the total votes cast for the party-list system shall be entitle to one seat each." However, 36 other party-list groups will win a seat in Congress if the elections were held in March, following a formula for allocation given by the Supreme Court in an April 2009 ruling. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV