Issues in the House of Representatives

The following are some of the issues in the House of Representatives

1. Gerrymandering

This is the arrangement of districts in such a way as to favor the election of preferred

candidates (usually re-electionist) through the inclusion therein only of those areas where

they expect to win, regardless of the resultant shape of such districts. It has been

described as an “apportionment of representative districts so contrived as to give an

unfair advantage to the party in power.” In the case of Aldaba v. COMELEC, the Supreme

Court nullified a law which created a legislative district for Malolos City, “carving the city

from the former First Legislative, (leaving) the town of Bulacan isolated from the rest of

the geographic mass of that district.” This according to the Supreme Court, “contravenes

the requirement in Section 5(3), Article VI that each legislative district shall ‘comprise, as

far as practicable, contiguous, compact, and adjacent territory.”

2. Fake representations of sectoral or organization representatives

One of the parameters that needs to be adhered in party-list election is that

sectoral parties or organizations may either be "marginalized and underrepresented" or

lacking in "well-defined political constituencies." It is enough that their principal advocacy

pertains to the special interest and concerns of their sector. The sectors that are

"marginalized and underrepresented" include labor, peasant, fisherfolk, urban poor,

indigenous cultural communities, handicapped, veterans, and overseas workers. The

sectors that lack "well-defined political constituencies" include professionals, the elderly,

women, and the youth. A majority of the members of sectoral parties or organizations
 that represent the "marginalized and underrepresented" must belong to the

"marginalized and underrepresented" sector they represent. Similarly, a majority of the

members of sectoral parties or organizations that lack "well-defined political

constituencies" must belong to the sector they represent. The nominees of sectoral

parties or organizations that represent the "marginalized and underrepresented," or that

represent those who lack "well-defined political constituencies," either must belong to

their respective sectors, or must have a track record of advocacy for their respective

sectors. The nominees of national and regional parties or organizations must be bona-

fide members of such parties or organizations. Unfortunately, some party-list nominees

do not truly represent the sector they are representing, nor genuinely advocate public

interest.

3. Abuse of Parliamentary Immunities

It is unfortunate that parliamentary immunity has become an individual privilege

which accorded some individual members of the Congress for their personal benefit

instead for the benefit of the people and the institution that represents them. Some of

them used this as a vehicle to ridicule or demean or as an armor for personal wrath and

disgust.

4. Mediocre lawmaking and absenteeism

It is unfortunate that this reflects Filipinos’ thinking in making their choices during

elections. They do not seem to be bothered by the fact that most treat their political

career as a hobby than a job and exhibited astounding tolerance for the banal dereliction
 of duty and abject mediocrity shown by their elected officials. And this is why there are

no consequences for any legislator that fails to deliver what is expected of him or her.

5. Corruption