2-party system ensures fair elections – lawmaker

The current set-up of having several political parties with almost identical sets of candidates will only further weaken our democracy, said Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza on Friday even as he called for what he said are much needed reforms in the country’s electoral system.

“What we’re witnessing now is the genuine, real distortion of the electoral process. The [citizens are] not given any choice. ‘Di na ang mamamayan ang namimili. Ang pagpili ay sa pagitan na lang ng pulitiko sa pulitiko [The people no longer do the choosing. The selection is made between politicians]. Now, many senatorial candidates of one party are also candidates of other parties. There’s an urgent need for reforms and a return to a sane system of elections,” Atienza said in a statement.