Press Release
May 20, 2009

To improve human development in the country
ANGARA CALLS FOR A REFORMED POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today stressed the need to reform and set a genuine political party system to improve human development in the Philippines, as he graced the launching of the 2008/2009 Philippine Human Development Report.

"It is imperative that political party system should be strengthened if we want to develop, achieve genuine political development and democratization. We have to enact laws to prevent the system of ward politics and political chameleons that we have today," said Angara who chairs the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP).

In his reaction to the presentation of the 2008-2009 Human Development Report discussion paper, Angara held that "unless we change the very structure of our political parties, these structures will hamper our efforts for institutional reform and accelerated human development. The next step is to reform and set a good party system," he added.

Angara recently filed SB 67 or the Political Party Development bill which calls for the institutionalization and strengthening of political parties to uphold party loyalty, promote accountability and transparency and encourage voter's education and civic literacy programs.

In the bill, a Party Development Fund will be created to provide subsidy to national political parties not only for its development strategies but also for their operational expenses. This fund will be included in the national budget.

Moreover, political parties which gained at least 15 % of the popular vote in the most recent general elections qualifies to receive a portion of the Party Development Fund.

"Having a reformed political party system is a step in the right direction. Without genuine political party, no platform and no continuing financial support, development for change and reform will not be achieved," Angara declared.

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