THE PARTY LIST SYSTEM IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO LEFTISTS

BnW Media Press Release

29 September 2012

A leftist, anti-Aquino administration group purporting to be a non-partisan citizen’s group named Kontra Daya has called on the Black and White Movement to withdraw its application for accreditation as a Regional Political Party participating in the 2013 Party List election. It claims our close alliance with President Aquino makes a mockery of the Party List system.

To Kontra Daya, which is led by Fr. Joe Dizon, a close associate of the Bayan coalition and Bayan Muna Party List, we have one simple question: With due respect to Sen. Manny Villar (and the NP, now in coalition with the LP for the upcoming elections), whom Bayan allies supported in the 2010 presidential election, if he had won – would Bayan Muna withdraw its participation in the 2013 Party List election?

For the record, ever since our inception in 2005, the Black and White Movement has always worked with the urban poor sector. They were with us in our mass actions against the excesses of the GMA regime. In fact, the lead convener of Black and White Katipunan (our Urban Poor cluster), Ka Jose Morales, is our third nominee.

For the record, we also have a very active and passionate youth group – the Black and White Youth Movement and one of its leaders, Marco Cabrera, is our second nominee.

For the record, many of our conveners – Karen Tanada, Elizabeth Yang, and Leah Navarro are prominent advocates of women’s rights and issues.  We have chosen Leah Navarro – our first nominee, to represent the women’s sector. Her current appointment as MTRCB board member ends on 30 September 2012 and does not conflict with this advocacy. She cannot be reappointed when our accreditation is approved.

These sectors – women, youth, and urban poor - are specifically identified by the Party List law as marginalized.  We have meticulously complied with the requirements for a Regional Political Party (NCR) participating in the Party List system. All of our nominees belong to the sectors being represented. And none of them are former politicians. None of them are associated with any business interest or political clan.

WE ARE QUALIFIED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARTY LIST ELECTION.  And if elected, we are committed to sponsor and support legislation that will protect and advance the interests of the sectors we represent.

Contrary to what Kontra Daya thinks, you do not have to be a leftist to qualify in the Party List system and fight for the marginalized. - END