24 more party-list winners proclaimed

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed yesterday 24 more winning party-list groups that would occupy 53 seats in the 16th Congress.

The Comelec said Buhay party-list would have three seats after obtaining 1,265,922 votes in the last elections, while A Teacher would get two seats for getting 1,040,898 votes.

Other groups that will occupy two House seats each are Bayan Muna (952,767 votes), Icare (933,831), Akbayan (827,405), Abono (767,645), Ako Bicol (763,103), OFW Family (750,753), Gabriela (713,492), Coop-Natcco (641,355), AGAP (592,069), Cibac (583,768) Magdalo (565,883) and An Waray (540,906).

Groups that won one seat each included Abamin (465,989), Act Teachers (453,491), Butil (438,601) Amin (376,932), ACT-CIS (376,175) Kalinga (371,610), LPGMA (370,360), TUCP (368,883), Yacap (366,340), Agri (365,516), Angkla (360,138), ABS (358,693), Diwa (341,443), Kabataan, (340,573), Anakpawis (321,110), Alay Buhay (316,947), Aambis-Owa (311,725), 1 Sagip (287,070), AVE (270,159), Ating KOOP (267,452), 1-BAP (245,23), Abakada (243,994), AMA (243,551) and Ang Nars (242,835).

The Comelec has so far proclaimed 38 winning party-list groups including the 14 it proclaimed last Friday.

Of the number, 13 will have two seats each and 10 are new groups including the OFW Family, ACT-CIS, Angkla, 1-Sagip, 1-BAP, and Ang Nars.

Records showed a total of 26,722,131 votes were cast for the party-list elections.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said they would proclaim more groups in the coming days as the poll body could not immediately proclaim all the winners due to the remaining uncanvassed ballots.

The Comelec will consider as stray votes those cast for the 11 disqualified party-list groups such as the Senior Citizens, ANAD, Abang-Lingkod, Binhi, Cocofed, Atong Paglaum, KAP, A-IPRA, Ang Galing Pinoy, Bantay and SMART.

Seafarers now represented

Filipino seafarers can now expect more protection and benefits following the proclamation of the Angkla (Ang Partido ng Pilipinong Marino) as one of the winning party-list groups.

Angkla obtained 360,138 votes and is entitled to one seat in Congress. It aims to protect the rights and welfare of seafarers and their families. - With Paolo Romero, Evelyn Macairan