Bayan Muna senatorial aspirant Nery Colmenares on Monday, Nov. 21 chided the Commission on Elections for rejecting partylist election accreditation to the Nurses United who truly represent the welfare of health workers and other medical frontliners.
Instead, Colmenares said the Comelec granted the accreditation of another group that is apparently riding on the popularity of frontliners in the fight against the COVID 19 pandemic.
A lawyer, Colmenares said the poll body should reconsider its decision not to allow NU to seek congressional representation by joining the 2022 partylist race.
“They are legitimate members of the sector and not some fly-by-night group eager for political power. If other preposterous partylists are allowed to participate, then more so should NU, as the latter are genuine health workers fighting the injustices in the health sector,” said Colmenares.
The former Bayan Muna partylist congressman was apparently referring to a group claiming to represent the welfare of frontliners but are not themselves members of the medical sector.
“In this light, the Commission on Election’s denial of accreditation to the Nurses United (NU) Partylist adds to the big injustice suffered by our pandemic heroes. It disenfranchises the rank and file of our health sector who deserve the best representation in Congress,” said Colmenares.
“By its action, COMELEC has denied NU Partylist the opportunity to voice out in Congress our nurses’ demand to increase their entry-level pay in government hospitals to Salary Grade 15. NU has also been ardent in calling for the timely release of hazard pay and other benefits that health workers deserve, especially in fighting the health crisis,” he explained.
The senatorial aspirant stressed tht the partylist system was aimed at empowering the marginalized sectors “and not provide a backdoor to power for traditional politicians and moneyed interests.” “Given the bastardization of traditional politics, COMELEC should ensure that marginalized sectors are genuinely represented in Congress,” he said.