MANILA, Philippines — A total of 156 party-list groups have been approved for inclusion in the official ballot for the midterm elections next year, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced yesterday.
An electronic raffle to determine the order of listing in the ballot of the party-list organizations was held yesterday at the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila. Printing of official ballots is set in December.
The 4PS (Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino) took the number one spot among party-lists in the official ballot, followed by the PPP (Puwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat), FPJ Panday Bayanihan, Kabataan and Duterte Youth.
The next five spots went to ML (Mamamayang Liberal), PBBM (Pilipinas Babangon Muli), P3PWD (Komunidad ng Pamilya, Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities), Murang Kuryente and Bicol Saro. The final spot (number 156) went to Uswag Ilonggo.
The Comelec named the 156 groups eligible for inclusion in the electronic raffle through Resolution No. 11074 issued on Oct. 11.
A total of 190 groups filed their certificates of nomination and acceptance from Oct. 1 to 8.
The poll body earlier said a total of 160 party-lists had initially been qualified to participate in the 2025 midterm elections. Of the number, 118 are existing party-list groups and 42 are newly registered.
Four of the qualified groups, however, did not file their CONAs, effectively removing them from official list.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said several of the party-list groups have already avoided using letter “A” in the beginning of their names.
“They know that in the end, the basis to be used in the order of the names in the ballot is not through alphabetical arrangement but the numbers (they will be assigned),” Garcia said.
“If you saw a party-list with a name starting with letter ‘A,’ these are already existing organizations that before, used that strategy to become number one in the list,” he said.
As to party-list groups that failed to send representatives during the raffle, Garcia said, “There will be no problem… Whatever was the number assigned to them, we will give it to them. There is no sanction or punishment for them even if they were not able to attend.”
“This kind of procedure was orderly and organized. It would be better if they were able to show up but we will not take it against them,” the Comelec chief said.
He stressed that this was the first time a raffle for party-list groups was attended by all members of Comelec.
He added that for groups that contested their exclusion from the official list and managed to secure relief from the Supreme Court through temporary restraining order, the Comelec would no longer hold another electronic raffle and would just include their names in the list – but at the last part. But he stressed they should be able to get a TRO before the printing of ballots in the last week of December.
Party-lists or sectoral organizations that decide to withdraw would just be stricken off the list.
“So the party-list’s name will not be included anymore in the list,” Garcia said.
In case of division within a party-list group, Garcia said such group would be listed as one in the ballot.
“If that party-list wins, we will have to resolve what group should be proclaimed. Usually, we don’t immediately proclaim that group having that kind of problem,” Garcia explained.
Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to dismantle all private army groups nationwide by March next year or before the May 2025 elections.
He issued the order during a visit yesterday to the PNP Region III Office. He noted that Region III is the fourth most notorious region in terms of activities of private armed groups. He also instructed the police to remain politically neutral. — Romina Cabrera