Akbayan gets vacated House seat

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections on Wednesday, September 25, declared Akbayan a winner in the 2022 party-list elections, securing a House of Representatives seat for its first nominee Percival Cendaña until June 2025. 

The Comelec en banc certified that Akbayan received enough votes to qualify for last place in the 2022 party-list race.   

The proclamation came after the Supreme Court upheld the Comelec resolution canceling the registration of the An Waray Party-list due to its violation of the Party-List System Act.

The vacated seat allows Akbayan — which dubs itself as the country's main opposition party — to move up and join the 56-group winning circle. 

Like other House members, Cendaña, a former National Youth Commission commissioner, will serve his term until June 30, 2025.

Akbayan President Rafaela David said on Wednesday that their entry into the House is not a result of mere legal technicalities but of its members' and supporters' efforts to stage the party's comeback to Congress.

Akbayan lost in the 2019 and 2022 elections.

"It is a validation of the work of progressive, democratic and reform-oriented forces to rein in the abuses and counter the excesses committed during the previous administration,” David said.

The party is now waiting for Cendaña to be officially sworn in by the chamber.

“We are hoping that the House Leadership will also act on this swiftly as there are no longer any legal impediments that exist,” David added.

The party that successfully launched its chairperson Sen. Risa Hontiveros to the Senate is set to join a House that is overwhelmingly dominated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his allies.

At present, the House opposition consists of the three-member Makabayan bloc, Liberal Party (LP) president and "independent opposition" lawmaker Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st District), and other LP lawmakers. — Cristina Chi