The Partylist system was supposed to be the great equalizer—a chance for the marginalized to finally have a voice in Congress. Instead, we got a circus act where the clowns take themselves too seriously.

Need representation for workers? Here’s one partylist for employees, another for contractuals, and one more just for janitors! Riders? Take your pick between Delivery Biker Power and Motorcycle Warriors for Change. The youth? Do you prefer Hashtag Kabataan or Gen Z Power? And don’t get us started with teleserye partylists or women vs. nanays!

Somewhere along the way, we went from “giving a voice to the voiceless” to a palengke-level battle of egos. Why have one partylist for farmers when you can have three—each claiming to plant the truest kamote? The result? The system isn’t amplifying voices; it’s turning Congress into a reality show where factions within the same sector fight over scraps.

Maybe we should just create a Partylist for Partylist Reform and see how that goes.