Time to put an end to ‘thick-faced’ pols

“Epal” represents the thick-skinned traditional politicians (trapo) who use government funds and projects for publicity purposes (Epal for “makapal”). “Bopal,” meanwhile, means Bogus Party-List.

Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), a national political party of the marginalized sectors, urges the Commission on Elections to fulfill its mandate of ensuring genuine, clean and honest elections. In this regard, we are starting a campaign to end “Epal” and erase “Bopal,” especially during the remaining period of party-list registration.

The partylist system, according to Republic Act 7941, is designed to enable the marginalized and underrepresented sectors to secure a seat in Congress, which has long been monopolized by traditional parties and clans.

Getting rid of the “Bopal” is a most welcome move by the Comelec. It ensures that only genuine party-lists, or those truly composed of the marginalized sectors, will have better chances of getting certification. We ask Comelec, however, to be transparent in the disqualification process to prevent the exclusion of the genuine ones.  It is easy enough to spot the “Bopal.”

First, they have nominees who do not represent the marginalized sectors. The classic example is Mikey Arroyo of Ang Galing Pinoy, who is neither a security guard nor a tricycle driver. Baka pwede pa, may-ari ng security agency? (May a security agency owner be more acceptable?)

Second, their nominees belong to the same family—wife, husband, children and close relatives.  From the records of the Comelec itself: Bagong Henerasyon’s nominees are a wife-and-husband tandem; Agrarian Development Association’s nominees are a father-and-son tandem; and the Alliance of Organization, Networks and Association of the Philippines’ nominees are a brother-and-sister tandem (the third nominee is a sister-in-law).

Third, their nominees belong to political/economic clan (trapo), and are “mega-rich” (their SALN reports declare assets of tens of millions of pesos). Of the 56 party-list representatives in Congress today, 48 are multimillionaires. Surely, they are not marginalized, they belong to the rich enclaves of landlords, capitalists, bankers and their ilk.

—SONNY MELENCIO,
chair, Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM),
[email protected]