MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine party list continues to serve as a backdoor to Congress for members of political dynasties.

There are at least six political clans with a chance to have more power via party-list seats, based on final, official results from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The 1987 Constitution created the party list as a system of proportional representation where various kinds of organizations, including those representing marginalized sectors – such as laborers, peasants, urban poor, indigenous peoples, women, and youth – could participate.

Analysts have found that political dynasties, which are already prohibited by the Constitution, have been using the party-list system as a backdoor to expanding their powers.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism earlier found that at least 70 of the 177 party-list groups accredited by the Comelec for the 2022 elections have nominees who are connected to political clans or incumbent local or national elected officials.

There are 63 congressional seats up for grabs for party-list representatives, with the assignment of party-list seats following the rules in the 2009 Supreme Court decision Banat vs. Comelec. 

Groups that get at least 2% of the total party-list votes get one guaranteed seat each, two guaranteed seats at 4%, and a maximum of three seats with at least 6%. The groups with less than 2% of the total votes, in order of the votes they received, will win one seat each until all the remaining party-list seats are filled.

Must Read

Bayan Muna, Buhay, 9 others lose reelection bids in 2022 party-list race

Here’s a list of party-list groups set to acquire at least one congressional seat each, and their nominees: 

• Tingog Sinarangan, with 886,959 votes and 2 seats
  • First nominee: Incumbent Tingog Representative Yedda Romualdez, wife of Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Romualdez
• Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC), with 637,044 votes and 1 seat
  • First nominee: Incumbent CIBAC Representative Eduardo “Eddie” Villanueva, father of Senator Joel Villanueva and brother-in-law of former CIBAC representative Sherwin Tugna
• An Waray, with 385,460 votes and 1 seat
  • First nominee: Florencio Noel, husband of Malabon Representative Josephine Noel. His sister Victoria Noel also served as An Waray representative from 2013 to 2019.
• Ako Ilocano Ako (AIA), with 387,086 votes and 1 seat
  • First nominee: Richelle Singson, daughter of former Ilocos Sur governor and incumbent Narvacan Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson
  • Second nominee: Allen Singson, former Candon mayor and nephew of Chavit Singson
  • Third nominee: Chistian Singson, son of Chavit Singson
• Kusug Tausug, with 385,770 votes and 1 seat
  • First nominee: Shernee Tan Tambut, daughter of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan
• Ang Asosasyon Sang Mangunguma Nga Bisaya-Owa Manguguma Incorporated (Aambis-OWA), with 246,053 votes and 1 seat
  • First nominee: Lex Colada, brother-in-law of incumbent Aambis-OWA Representative Sharon Garin. Colada is married to Guimbal Mayor Jennifer Garin-Colada, Sharon’s sister. 

These are the party-list groups with political clan members as non-first nominees. They can only get seats if if the first or sitting nominee dies or resigns:

• Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP), with 367,533 votes and 1 seat
  • Second nominee: Lala Sotto, daughter of Senate President Vicente Sotto III. AGAP won one seat, and so its representative will be Nicanor Briones. Lala is next in line to take Briones’ place if needed.
• Anakalusugan, with 281,512 votes and 1 seat
  • Its original second nominee was Regina Mandanas, wife of Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, who died a few days before election day. (Mrs. Mandanas herself was a former Marinduque congresswoman, from a political family). There were talks that Governor Mandanas’ brother was being considered to replace her as nominee.
• 1-PACMAN, with 273,195 votes and 1 seat
  • Third nominee: Marlon Bautista, older brother of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. 
• Agimat ng Masa, with 586,909 votes and 1 seat
  • Fifth nominee: Bryan Revilla, son of Senator Bong Revilla. When Agimat was proclaimed on Thursday, May 26, Bryan told reporters that all first four nominees of Agimat had resigned after the elections, making him now first nominee. The Comelec has yet to confirm this. As of May 24, according to Comelec data, Bryan remained the fifth nominee.

– Rappler.com