http://www.interaksyon.com/article/29172/willie-revillame-forms-political-group-petitions-comelec-for-partylist-accreditation
The first reaction I had was a dumbfounded "HUH?!?"
Why would the host of a variety show be applying for accreditation from the government's election-overseeing body?
(Courtesy of videokeman.com)
It turns out that he is putting his charitable organization, I Wil Serve Foundation - a play on his name, obviously, as his show is entitled Wil Time, Big Time - front and center for election under our partylist system.
Is charity being marginalized?
Do we need to vote on whether charity should be allowed?
Do we need to inject bureaucratic paperwork for people intending to do philantrophy?
I don't "get it" for the simple reason that this course of action of Willie Revillame is anathema to what the Partylist System is all about.
http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno7941primer.htm
As I understand it, the system is essentially a way to provide representation for underrepresented and marginalized groups.
Women, despite being the majority in the country, still do not have the same benefits and opportunites as men do, and need to be represented - with laws focused on them - to provide more equality.
The gay community, long cast out in our society's fringes, and even demonized on account of some religious beliefs, deserve the same rights as every other human being, and is definitely qualified on both the "underrepresented" and "marginalized" terms.
I do not see how a charitable organization - one that provides freebies and dole-outs - can ever be considered in the same zip code as the other two groups I mentioned. It harks back to the time when actor Richard Gomez tried to register MAD (Mamamayan Ayaw Sa Droga) as a partylist group as well. Gomez also figured recently in politics, running for Congress but being denied on account of some requirements, and on the proverbial last minute, his wife Lucy Torres-Gomez "took" his place and is now an elected legislator.
No wonder the idea of nepotism is alive and kicking in our country. What is this, Musical Chairs? I can't run, so my spouse should take my place?!? (Yes, it's a rhetorical question. I am just so exasperated that no one even blinks at this phenomenon anymore.)
Revillame has stated that he does not intend to run as the party's representative, but merely wants to push the organization named after him into our ballots.
I'm sure he does it out of the goodness of his heart.
Now excuse me while I go see my opthalmologist. I haven't stopped rolling my eyes ever since I laid them on this news article.
Ever since that issue of Jan Jan, the little boy, I realized how powerful Revillame is with the masses. He is the type who would try to channel that into politics in due time. What we need is an NGO that can teach people on the barangay level across the nation how to vote wisely and why it will benefit them. But that would be hard to do...
ReplyDeleteAgreed, it's hard to educate the voters, but we have to start somewhere, otherwise we will be in this endless loop. :(
DeleteThis will just add another clown to the hordes we got in politics here in our country.
ReplyDeleteThe party list system is being taken advantage by traditional politicians to get more power through this backdoor, as well as clowns. Grrrr.
ReplyDeleteWrite Comelec to remind them we are watching.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.comelec.gov.ph/contactus/contactus.html
Thank you for this, I Will Protest This. I think we ALL have to write them to let them know that both the spirit and the letter of the law should be upheld. Nababastardize yung intent ng Partylist Law with entries like Revillame's charity organization, and Mikey Arroyo fronting tricycle drivers. Hello naman. Malinaw na sinabi ng law regarding this specifically na a member of the marginalized group mismo should represent the group...kailan naging tricycle driver si Mikey?!?
DeleteAsus.