A DAY after announcing its plans to reduce the number of party-list organizations that will participate in the May 2025 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said it is set to take out groups that have been inactive and unsuccessful in previous elections.
In a televised public briefing, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body will come out with a list of party-list organizations that have failed to participate or receive enough votes in previous electoral exercises.
“With regards to existing party-lists that haven’t participated in previous elections and those who failed to win twice, the Comelec will be coming out with a resolution regarding their removal from the list,” said Laudiangco, adding the move is in accordance with Republic Act No. 7941, or the Party-List Act.
Under the law, only parties, organizations, or coalitions registered with the Comelec may participate in the party-list elections.
It also states that the registration of a party-list may be canceled if it fails to participate in the last two preceding elections or fails to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two preceding elections.
Over the weekend, Comelec chairman George Garcia said that they are looking to trim the number of party-list groups that will join the May 2025 polls to around 130.
Back in the May 2022 elections, 177 party-list organizations participated in the race for a seat at the House of Representatives.
