THE Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), yesterday proclaimed as winners 52 party-list organizations and their 59 nominees a week after the May 12 midterm elections.
The proclamation was held in an elaborate and formal ceremony at the Tent City of the Manila Hotel.
“By virtue of the powers vested in it under the 1987 Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, and other election laws, and applying the rule in Banat vs. Comelec, the Commission on Elections, sitting en banc, as the National Board of Canvassers for Party-List, hereby declares the following party-list groups as winners in the party-list elections of 12 May 2025, entitled to the total number of seat/s, as indicated next to their respective names,” said the NBOC in its resolution read by Comelec chairman George Garcia.
Leading the proclaimed party-list groups are top vote-getter Akbayan (2,779,621 votes) and third placer Tingog (1,822,708), who both secured three seats.
Two seats were each allocated to 4Ps (1,469,571), ACT-CIS (1,239,930), and Ako Bicol (1,073,119) after placing 4th to 6th, respectively.
A total of 47 winning party-list organizations, meanwhile, won one seat each at the House of Representatives.
They include USWAG-Ilonggo (777,754), Solid North (765,322), Trabaho (709,283), Cibac (593,911), Malasakit@Bayanihan (580,100), Senior Citizen (577,753), PPP (575,762), ML (547,949), FPJ Panday Bayanihan (538,003), United Senior Citizens (533,913), 4K (521,592), and LPGMA (517,833).
Also proclaimed were COOP-NATCCO (509,913), Ako Bisaya (477,796), CWS (477,517), Pinoy Workers (475,985), AGAP (469,412), Asenso Pinoy (423,133), Agimat (420,813), TGP (407,922), Sagip (405,297), Alona (393,684), 1-Rider party-list (385,700), and Kamanggagawa (382,657).
The NBOC also proclaimed GP (381,880), Kamalayan (381,437), Bicol Saro (366,177), KUSUG TAUSUG (365,916), ACT-Teachers (353,631), ONE COOP (334,098), KM Ngayon Na (324,405), ABAMIN (320,349), TUCP (314,814), Kabataan (312,344), APEC (310,427), and Magbubukid (310,289).
Completing the list of proclaimed party-list groups are 1Tahanan (309,761), Ako Ilocano Ako (301,406), Manila Teachers (301,291), Nanay (293,430), Kapuso PM (293,149), SSS-GSIS PENSYONADO (290,359), Dumper PTDA (279,532), Abang Lingkod (274,735), Pusong Pinoy (266,623), Swerte (261,379), and PHILRECA (261,045).
The winning party-list organizations were determined after 41,950,292 total votes were received by all party-list groups that participated in the May 12 polls.
After completing the canvassing of 175 Certificates of Canvass last May 15, the NBOC used the formula provided under the Banat vs. Comelec decision of the Supreme Court.
While getting sufficient number of votes, the Comelec suspended the proclamation of the Duterte Youth party-list and BH Bagong Henerasyon as winners in the party-list race due to pending cases against them.
“Considering the serious allegations raised in the above petitions, which involve grave violation of election laws, the National Board of Canvasses resolves to suspend the proclamation of Duterte Youth party-list and BH Bagong Henerasyon party-list, until the speedy and judicious resolution of the petitions filed before the Clerk of the Commission,” said the NBOC resolution.
The decision comes in accordance with the recommendations of the NBOC’s Supervisory Committee, which pointed at the two pending cases against Duterte Youth filed in 2019 and 2025, respectively.
On the other hand, BH Bagong Henerasyon is also facing a disqualification case filed in 2025.
If it is proclaimed, Duterte Youth will be entitle to three seats after it got 2,338,564 votes; while BH Bagong Henerasyon has one seat for its 319,803 votes.
In a press briefing earlier in the day, Garcia assured the public that the suspension of the proclamation of Duterte Youth party-list and BH Bagong Henerasyon does not mean that they are not among those considered as winning party-list groups.
“Just because they were not among those proclaimed it would mean they aren’t winners,” said Garcia.
He said the NBOC believes it would be better if the proclamation is suspended rather than revoked, if deemed necessary later on.
“It would be unfair to proclaim them then have it revoked later if their accreditation would be cancelled,” he said.
REVIEW
Meanwhile, the Comelec yesterday renewed its call for lawmakers to amend Republic Act No. 7941 or the Party-List System Act of 1995, and address numerous issues hounding the party-list system.
“We hope that they will consider introducing changes in the party-list law. I will always push for the amendment of the law… We need an overhaul or changes in the party-list law,” Garcia said.
He said among the amendments needed is the determination of the marginalized and underrepresented sectors, and a new formula in determining the seat allocation for winning party-list groups, among others.
“We really need a law. If the Comelec amends it, it will surely be declared as unconstitutional for usurpation of legislative prerogative,” said Garcia.
For the moment, he said the poll body will be looking at changing their policy with regards to accreditation of new party-list organizations.
In particular, he said they want to prohibit the registration of party-list groups using the names of popular TV shows or “ayuda” programs of the government.
“Come the next elections, we won’t allow the use of telenobela and ayuda as names of party-list groups. Their names must be based on their advocacy,” he said.
To note, the party-list system was established to enable Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized and underrepresented sectors, organizations, and parties, to gain seats in the House of Representatives.
In recent elections, however, the party-list system has received criticisms that it has been bastardized with the entry of political clans, as well as the rich and the powerful as nominees.
