MANILA, Philippines – Does the number 16 follow 15?

Not necessarily, when it comes to the party-list slots on the ballot in 2013. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may skip some numerical slots after it revised the results of the party-list raffle held last January 4, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said.

The Comelec on Monday, January 7, withdrew 13 names from the ballot after it erroneously included them in the unprecedented raffle for party-list slots. In a resolution, the Comelec said it may re-raffle these slots to other disqualified groups that will get a Supreme Court (SC) reprieve by Friday, January 11.

There’s a chance that the SC will no longer rule in favor of any more party-list group, in which case the vacant slots remain vacant. Otherwise, they will have to be accommodated in the ballot as long as the SC orders meet the January 11 cut-off.

Of the 123 groups that received ballot slots, 39 have pending SC petitions after the Comelec disqualified them from the party-list race.

In a phone interview with Rappler, Jimenez raised the likelihood that “the numbers might skip.”

He quelled fears that this could lead to confusion come election day.

“Hindi ko nakikitang mas magulo, kasi kunyari, ‘pag hinanap mo ang kandidatong number 14, hindi mo naman pagbabasehan ang slots. Hindi mo naman bibilangin ‘yung slots. You’re gonna count 14 down, tapos ‘yun ang iboboto mo? Hahanapin mo ‘yung numerong 14,” Jimenez explained.

(I don’t see it to be more confusing, because for example, if you look for candidate number 14, you won’t base it on the number of slots. You won’t count the slots – like you’re gonna count 14 down, then you will vote for that. You will look for the number 14.)

‘Voters have to know’

What about groups whose disqualification the SC might uphold after ballot-printing?

“Definitely, the voters will have to know which ones are under a cloud of doubt,” said Jimenez, referring to groups that got included in the ballot only because the SC issued a status quo ante (SQA) order in their favor.

He said the Comelec, however, will discuss how to do this without causing undue advantage to the groups involved. “We’re concerned that if we single out these groups concerned, they might complain and say the Comelec is campaigning to have them removed, which is unfair to them,” Jimenez said in a mix of English and Filipino.

If the SC will no longer issue SQAs on or before January 11, the 2013 ballot will follow this sequence for party-list groups, based on the raffle last January 4. (See downloadable illustration and text below)

1. 1-CARE – 1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy Inc

2. ABS – Arts Business and Science Professionals

3. PASANG MASDA – Pasang Masda Nationwide Party

4. OFW Family – OFW Family Club Inc

5. MAGDALO – Magdalo para sa Pilipino

6. AMS – Alyansa ng Media at Showbiz

7. ABONO – Abono Party-list

8. BAYANI – Bayani Party-list

9. A TEACHER – Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment through Action, Cooperation, and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms

10. PWD – Pilipinos with Disabilities

11. 1-LAMBAT – Isang Lapian ng Mangingisda at Bayan tungo sa Kaunlaran

12. AAMA – Alliance of Advocates in Mining Advancement for National Progress

13. BH – Bagong Henerasyon

14. SANLAKAS

15. AKMA-PTM – Aksyon Magsasaka-Partido Tinig ng Masa

16. – VACANT SLOT –

17. KABATAAN – Kabataan Party-list

18. AKB – Ako Bicol Political Party

19. AANI – Ang Agrikultura Natin Isulong

20. UNI-MAD – United Movement Against Drugs Foundation

21. ALIM – Action League of Indigenous Masses

22. ALAY BUHAY – Alay Buhay Community Development Foundation Incs

23. AN WARAY – An Waray

24. – VACANT SLOT –

25. PBA – Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta

26. FIRM 24-K – Firm-24K Association Inc

27. TUCP – Trade Union Congress Party

28. ANG LADLAD

29. ADING – Advance Community Development in New Generation

30. ABANTE RETIREES – Abante Retirees Party-list Organization

31. 1-ABILIDAD

32. KATRIBU – Katribu Indigenous Peoples Sectoral Party

33. COCOFED – Philippine Coconut Producers’ Federation Inc

34. – VACANT SLOT –

35. ATING KOOP – Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba

36. – VACANT SLOT –

37. PISTON – Piston Land Transport Coalition Inc

38. AGAP – Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines

39. AGBIAG – Agbiag Timpuyog Ilocano Inc

40. ALE – Association of Laborers and Employees

41. – VACANT SLOT –

42. ANG PROLIFE

43. AVE – Alliance of Volunteer Educators Party-list

44. BINHI – Binhi-Partido ng mga Magsasaka para sa mga Magsasaka

45. – VACANT SLOT –

46. ATING GURO

47. – VACANT SLOT –

48. ARAL – Association of Righteousness Advocacy on Leadership

49. ACT TEACHERS – Act Teachers Party-list

50. BUTIL – Butil Farmers Party

51. COOP NATCCO – Cooperative Natcco Network Party

52. VFP – Veterans Freedom Party

53. ACT-CIS – Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support Inc

54. GABRIELA – Gabriela Women’s Party

55. 1-AAMOVER – A Action Moral & Values Recovery Reform Philippines Inc

56. AMIN – Anak Mindanao Party-list

57. UMALAB KA – Ugnayan ng Maralita Laban sa Kahirapan

58. ALYANSA NG OFW – Alyansa ng OFW Party-list

59. ABAKADA – Abakada-Guro

60. YACAP – You Against Corruption and Poverty

61. ABROAD – Action Brotherhood for Active Dreamers Inc

62. KAAKBAY – Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan All Filipino Democratic Movement

63. – VACANT SLOT –

64. AMA – Aagapay sa Matatanda

65. AMOR SEAMAN – Association of Marine Officer & Ratings Inc

66. ANAC-IP – Ang National Coalition of Indigenous Peoples Action Na

67. ANGKLA – Ang Partido ng mga Pilipinong Marino Inc

68. ATONG PAGLAUM – Atong Paglaum Inc

69. – VACANT SLOT –

70. ABA – Alyansang Bayanihan ng mga Magsasaka, Manggagawang Bukid, at Mangingisda

71. AAMBIS-OWA – Ang Asosasyon Sang Mangunguma Nga Bisaya-Owa Mangunguma Inc

72. 1-AALALAY – Isang Alyansang Aalalay sa Pinoy

73. ABANTE KA – Abante Katutubo Inc

74. 1BAP – 1 Banat & Ahapo Party-list Coalition

75. BANTAY – The True Marcos Loyalist for God, Country, and People

76. 1 BRO-PGBI – 1-Bro Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc

77. AFPSEGCO – Alliance for Philippine Security Guards Cooperative

78. A-IPRA – Agapay ng Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Alliance

79. BAYAN MUNA

80. – VACANT SLOT –

81. MTM PHILS – Mamamayan tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas

82. ANG KASANGGA – Kasangga sa Kaunlaran Inc

83. – VACANT SLOT –

84. LPGMA – LPG Marketers Association Inc

85. ANG MINERO – Sectoral Party of Ang Minero

86. AA KASOSYO – Kasosyo Producer

87. 1 ANG PAMILYA – Una ang Pamilya Party-list

88. 1st KABAGIS

89. 1-UTAK – 1-United Transport Koalisyon

90. DIWA – Democratic Independent Workers Association Inc

91. ARC – Alliance for Rural Concerns

92. CIBAC – Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption

93. AGILA – Agila ng Katutubong Pilipino Inc

94. 1GANAP/GUARDIANS – 1 Guardians Nationalist Philippines Inc

95. AGHAM – Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Mamamayan Inc

96. MIGRANTE – Migrante Sectoral Party of Overseas Filipinos and their Families

97. AWAT Mindanao – Anti-War Anti-Terror Mindanao

98. ALLUMAD – Alyansa Lumad Mindanao Inc

99. ATM – Abante Tribung Makabansa

100. PACYAW – Pilipino Association for Country-Urban Poor Youth Advancement and Welfare

101. – VACANT SLOT –

102. – VACANT SLOT –

103. KLBP – Kababaihang Lingkod ng Bayan sa Pilipinas

104. AASENSO – Ating Agapay Sentrong Samahan ng mga Obrero Inc

105. AG – Ang Galing Pinoy

106. ALAGAD

107. A BLESSED – Blessed Federation of Farmers and Fishermen International Inc

108. AMA – Ang Mata’y Alagaan

109. AKAPBATA Inc – Akapbata Sectoral Organization for Children Inc

110. SMART – Social Movement for Active Reform and Transparency

111. ABP – Alliance of Bicolnon Party

112. ANAD – Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy

113. ADA – Agrarian Development Association

114. ARARO – Alliance for Rural and Agrarian Reconstruction Inc

115. KAP – Kaagapay ng Nagkakaisang Agilang Pilipinong Magsasaka

116. APEC – Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives

117. AKBAYAN – Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party

118. 1-SAGIP – Social Amelioration & Genuine Intervention on Poverty

119. 1JAMG – 1 Joint Alliance of Marginalized Group Inc

120. AKO BAHAY – Adhikain at Kilusan ng Ordinaryong Tao para sa Lupa, Pabahay, Hanapbuhay, at Kaunlaran

121. ADAM – Adhikain ng mga Dakilang Anak Maharlika

122. AKO – Ako Ayoko sa Bawal na Droga

123. ABAMIN – Abante Mindanao

124. APPEND – Append Inc

125. AGRI – Agri-Agra na Reporma para sa Magsasaka ng Pilipinas Movement

126. AT – Aangat Tayo

127. ANG NARS

128. GREENFORCE – Green Force for the Environment Sons and Daughters of Mother Earth

129. SENIOR CITIZENS – Coalition of Association of Senior Citizens in the Philippines

130. ALIF – Ang Laban ng Indigenong Filipino

131. KALINGA

132. ANAKPAWIS

133. 1-PABAHAY – Isang Pangarap ng Bahay sa Bagong Buhay ng Maralitang Kababayan Inc

134. KAKUSA – Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang-sala

135. BUHAY – Buhay Hayaang Yumabong

136. ABANG LINGKOD – Abang Lingkod Party-list 

In an unprecedented move this year, the Comelec purged the list of party-list applications, and slashed the number of applicants to 84 from the original 289. Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr initiated this electoral reform, which is considered a milestone. – Rappler.com