The failure behind the success of Abono Party-List

 By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG – Pangasinan vaunted farmers party list Abono had a dramatic trial before it became a successful entity with ten years streak in the House of Representatives.

According to one of its pillars Former Councilor Levin Uy, this town's Executive Director of Kasama Kita sa Barangay, he was instructed by Abono Party List Founder and Chairman  Rosendo So to draft in 2007 an application at the Commission on Election for a party list.

PILLARS - Abono Party-list Chairman Rosendo So (Left)

 and Kasama Kita Sa Barangay Director Levin Uy.

So is also the present Chairman of the popular anti –smuggling group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG).

“Iyong instruction ni Kuya Sendo ay mga agri operators organization na magkaroon ng representation sa Congress through party list so naisip namin kaagad is ABONO,” he stressed.

Uy said they chalked up the acronym’s Agri Business Operators National Organization or ABONO. After receipt of the application, the Comelec’s hierarchy did not approve the title.

He cited that party members immediately changed the name and objectives of the party list to be especially pro-marginalized farmers so it could hurdle the prying eyes of the election body.

“Pinalitan iyong mga guidelines. Pinalitan ang pangalan, pinalitan ng objectives. Iba kasi ang objectives. Naging Anak Bukid Obrero Nayong Obrero – Pambansa o ABONO-Pambansa,” he explained.

Uy said the Comelec immediately approved it.

In the May 14, 2007 it won election with 2.12% or 340,002 votes of the constitutionally mandated two (2) percent of the total votes in that entire poll and was qualified to have one congressional representative through Representative Robert Raymund M. Estrella Jr.

In the 2010 election it got 2.58% or 755,993 votes with two congressmen in the House of Representatives through Estrella, Jr and Francisco Emmanuel R. Ortega III.

2013 poll it had 2.80% or 767, 645 votes with two House Representatives through Conrado Estrella, III and Ortega III

In the 2016 election it got 2.26% or 732,060 votes with two congressmen in Estrella III and Vini Nola Ortega vice her husband Francisco who is now governor of La Union.

The party-list representatives, according to the Constitution, shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of elected regular congressmen. Each party-list is allowed to have a maximum of three representatives in the August Chamber.