Let’s party!
(Joining the Party-List System)

At last the OFWs have come together and recently announced the creation of a national political party to represent their concerns. Do you also feel similarly marginalized and underrepresented yet eager to take a more active part in the legislative process? Then by all means, also set up a party (political, sectoral or a coalition of parties) and be part of the costliest and messiest democratic process we call law-making.

Oh okay, if you mean to be serious. Let’s. First of all, of course, you have to get organized. This could mean lots of (maybe even sickening) meetings and discussions to be able to come up with an agreed upon constitution, by-laws and platform of government, among other things.

Who may participate

Of course, it’s important to determine what exactly you intend to set up:

a)A political party refers to an organized group of citizens advocating an ideology or platform, principles and policies for the general conduct of government and which, as the most immediate means of securing their adoption, regularly nominates and supports certain of its leaders and members as candidates for public office.

In this regard, a national party has a constituency spread over the geographical territory of at least a majority of the regions (i.e., your party must have regional offices in at least 9 of the country’s 16 regions). A regional party has a constituency spread over the geographical territory of at least a majority of the cities and provinces comprising the region (i.e, the party must have chapters and offices in a majority of the relevant region’s cities and provinces respectively).

b)A sectoral party refers to an organized group of citizens belonging to any of the following sectors: labor, peasant, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, veterans, overseas workers, and professionals whose principal advocacy pertains to the special interests and concerns of their sector.

c) sectoral organization refers to a group of citizens or a coalition of groups of citizens who share similar physical attributes or characteristics, employment, interest or concerns.

d)A coalition refers to an aggrupation of duly registered national, regional, sectoral parties or organizations for political and/or election purposes.

…

Read the rest from The Legally Inclined blog at http://thelegallyinclined.wordpress....%80%99s-party/.