Building a true party system is essential for democracy, good governance

This is a reaction to the article by Mr. Segundo Eclar Romero on “Scenarios of the Philippine Future 2050” (Inquirer, 8/20/24) which, in effect, is a call to action to seriously look to the future in view of the overwhelming problems facing our country. The initial call to action must first be the need for genuine reform in our political party system as political parties are the backbone of electoral democracy. Such parties are meant to build a class of political leaders grounded on vital issues and exposed to governance that is guided by the party’s platform and vision of what it wants to accomplish. This, in turn, becomes the basis of the voters’ reasonable expectations of what the party’s leaders stand for, and whether the party deserves the public’s trust.

In a commentary by Moira G. Gallaga on “The demise of PH political parties” (Inquirer, 12/25/23), she quoted Yale University political scientist Ian Shapiro and Frances McCall Rosenbluth who said: “Political parties are the core institution of democratic accountability because parties, not the individuals who support or comprise them, can offer competing vision of the public good.” In other words, political parties should be deemed as essential institutions in a functioning democracy and should be the main avenue by which the collective interests of their leaders, members, and adherents among the electorate, can be represented to the fullest. They are the means by which competing visions of governance and policies can be pursued and offered to the public, Gallaga said.

As it is now, there is no true party system in the country. Our political parties are not solid organizations steeped in principles, but loose groupings built mainly around personalities, according to Cielito Habito in his column titled “The reform we need” (Inquirer, 7/6/2023). They exist merely to serve the interest of their leaders, with hardly any platform of governance or principles and policies to serve the citizenry.

The challenge is for us to call on our political leaders, especially the members of Congress, to wake up to the reality that they should be the change they seek, and must have the political will to institute reforms by enacting into law the bill “Political Parties Development Act of 2011.” The pending bill seeks to strengthen the party system by upholding party loyalty and adherence to ideological principles, platforms, and programs by penalizing turncoatism; reducing graft and corruption by regulating campaign finances through transparent mechanisms, and professionalizing political parties through state subsidies that, in a non-election year, may be used for party recruitment, civic education, research and policy development, and constitutional outreach programs.