STRONGER POLITICAL PARTIES KEY TO 2010 POLLS - ANGARA

With recent shifts and possible mergers in the country's major political parties for the 2010 presidential elections, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara is calling for a legal mechanism that will allow better governance of political parties and their activities, members and funding. He said this is key to "true leadership selection and political maturity".

Under the proposed Political Party Development Act party members who seek to change party affiliation after being elected under that party's ticket should first resign from his elective position and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate. Likewise, defecting persons cannot be appointed nor hold any position in any public office until after their current elected office expires.

Angara stressed, "A strong political party system is imperative for genuine political development and democratization rather than simply feeding politicized motives. We have to enact laws to prevent the system of ward politics and political chameleons that we have today."

Political parties are known in the Philippines to be used only as vehicles to win elections. Most political aspirants change parties for convenience rather than conviction manifesting the lack of ideological commitment to their parties. Angara is concerned that candidates' "abrupt secession from their parties may pose detrimental effects on the party itself and its goals for and after the elections, spurring division and deflecting a solid vote turnout rather than forming a unified coalition."

The bill also seeks to create a Party Development Fund to subsidize national political parties for their operational expenses and party building activities; not only for electoral campaign but also for their developmental programs. It encourages raising funds through Party Foundation to develop self-sufficiency and lessen their dependence on contributions from illegal sources.

"The country's party system is confined to personalities rather than issues and platforms. There had been many attempts to reform this orientation to veer away from traditional politics, but they failed because of the lack a governing system," noted Angara, former Senate President.

For their part, political parties should institute internal control mechanisms within political parties to promote accountability and transparency. A political party may qualify to receive a portion from the Party Development Fund if its national candidates garnered at least 15% of the popular vote in the most recent general elections.

Angara is hopeful that "this bill can change the norm of political butterflies during and after the election period, and promote party ideals and policy agenda rather than political pragmatism and survival."