Comelec evaluates application of 22 party-list groups for 2025 polls

At least 22 party-list groups applying for accreditation for the 2025 May polls were still subject to evaluation, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday.

In an interview, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said only 34 out of almost 200 applications have so far passed the assessment of the poll body.

“Kung ano man aabutin lang tayo ng 164 na accredited. Either ‘yung bago or mga dati pa, magkasama na ‘yan,” said Garcia.

(The accredited party-list groups may reach 164, which is a mix of new and existing groups.)

“We’re hoping makapag-raffle tayo ng numero ng mga ikatlong linggo ng September dahil gusto natin na by October 1 to 8, nagfa-file na sila base sa nilabas nating guidelines ng kanilang list of nominees,” the poll chief added.

(We're hoping to raffle off the numbers of party-list groups by the third week of September because we want them to file their nominations from October 1 to 8, based on the guidelines we've released for their list of nominees.)

The Comelec issued the guidelines for the filing of the certificate of candidacy and nomination of and acceptance by the official candidate of registered political parties or coalitions of political parties earlier in the day.

Based on the rules, the poll body reiterated that each party-list group, political party, sectoral party, organization, or coalition shall only submit 10 nominees that would represent their groups.

“Sampung nominado lang ang pupwedeng malagay at hindi kami papayag na kung sakaling mauubos ang listahan o kaya biglang mag-resign ay maglalagay sila ng panibagong kapalit o listahan. That list is a final list unless namatay o na-disqualify ang nominee,” said Garcia.

(We will only allow ten nominees, and we won't permit them to replace anyone who resigns or gets disqualified. The list is final, unless a nominee dies or is disqualified.)

The guidelines also set the political conventions to nominate official candidates for all elective positions for the 2025 NLE and Bangsamoro polls from September 1 to September 28, 2024.

Majority, minority parties

In another resolution, the Comelec released the rules for determining the dominant majority party, minority party, ten major national parties, and two major local parties for the 2025 NLE and Bangsamoro polls.

“Sa bawat eleksyon, nakalagay po sa ating batas, nakipili ang Comelec ng dominant majority party, dominant minority, sapagkat sila po ang entitled sa original at unang kopya ng mga election returns. Entitled sa unang kopya ng transmission ng results,” said Garcia in a separate interview.

(In every election, as specified in our law, Comelec identifies the dominant majority party and the dominant minority party, since they are entitled to the original and first copy of the election returns. They are also entitled to the first copy of the transmission of results.)

“Therefore, napaka-importante yan. At dapat mapili ng Comelec, masala, sino ba ang tatanghalin na dominant majority party,” he said.

(That's extremely important. And the Comelec should choose carefully who will be the dominant majority party.) — VBL, GMA Integrated News