Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is supporting the move of Senator Vicente Sotto III to amend the country's 30-year-old party-list law.

According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec chairperson George Garcia believes it is high time for Republic Act 7941, known as the Party-List System Act signed in 1995, to be revisited. Garcia expressed strong support for Senate Bill 192, filed by Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III, emphasizing the timely need for clarification and change. He stated that Comelec is prepared to assist and provide expertise if needed, although he did not disclose specific recommendations.

A poll watchdog group, Kontra Daya, also welcomed Sotto's bill. Danilo Arao, the convenor of Kontra Daya, expressed support for initiatives to amend the 1995 party-list law to ensure genuine representation of the marginalized and underrepresented, free from manipulation by the wealthy and powerful. Arao encouraged Sotto and other legislators to consider Kontra Daya's past statements and data sets, which provide empirical evidence of how the party-list system has been exploited by influential groups. He affirmed Kontra Daya's readiness to provide input and answer any queries from legislators like Sotto.

The proposed bill aims to realign the party-list system with its original intent, ensuring true representation for the marginalized and underrepresented.