Relative, not absolute decline
At first glance, it seems that the left suffered something of a setback in the recent elections. For example, not only did Bayan Muna slip in the rankings (as did most the left groups), but it lost votes. However, such a conclusion would be incorrect. Any overall decline was not absolute but relative and, as pointed out last week, largely due to the fact that, since 2007, the total number of party-list votes has dramatically increased, thereby diminishing the left’s share. The following table shows the votes, rankings and percentages of the various left tendencies since 2004, whether or not they gained seats. As was the case in last week’s column, the figures for 2010 are provisional, as at the time of writing the votes in the special elections in Lanao del Sur, among others, still have to be canvassed. * A+B+C. Bayan Muna, formerly the flagship party of what in this election was called the Makabayan group, has in fact suffered a gradual decline from 2001 (not shown in the table), when it garnered 1.7 million votes, to 1.2 million in 2004, 979,189 in 2007, and 746,019 this year, going from first place to second, and now to ninth. Note, however, that while in 2007 this group had only five accredited groups, this year it had six, and its total vote climbed from 2.3 million to over 3 million. It was only to be expected that Bayan Muna would shed votes as its parent organization fielded other, more narrowly-focused, party-list organizations. For example, it is possible that many of the votes given to the Association of Concerned Teachers (ACT) this year were gained at its expense. ... MORE Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100629com6.html |
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