Comelec proclaims Akbayan

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially proclaimed Akbayan as a winning party-list group during the 2022 national polls, entitling it to occupy the 63rd and last slot for party-list organizations at the House of Representatives. "The Commission, after due deliberation... resolves to adopt the herein recommendation of the [Comelec] Law Department to issue a certificate of proclamation to Percival V. Cendana as Akbayan party-list representatives in the 19th Congress," Chairman George Erwin Garcia said in a letter to House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco on Wednesday. Akbayan party-list President Rafaela David said she hoped the House leadership would act promptly on Garcia's declaration. "The next and final step now is for the House of Representatives to officially swear in our first nominee as a member of the Lower House. We are hoping that the House Leadership will also act on this swiftly as there are no longer any legal impediments that exist," she said. Akbayan is represented in the Senate by Sen. Risa Hontiveros. The Liberal Party (LP) of the Philippines congratulated Akbayan for its victory. "Akbayan's return is a win for those who believe in progress, democracy, and genuine reform. This achievement wasn't a matter of legal maneuvering but a result of their consistent effort, dedication, and connection to the people they serve. It reflects the support and trust that Akbayan has built through their work in representing the interests of many Filipinos," LP said in a statement on Wednesday. The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition said it looked forward to working alongside Akbayan to uphold workers' rights. "The proclamation of Akbayan as the winning party-list group in the May 2022 elections is a testament to the trust and support of the Filipino people in the party's vision and mission for a more just and equitable society," the group said in a statement. Akbayan is a pioneer party-list organization in Congress, having participated in and won the first-party election in 1998 and all succeeding polls thereafter till it suffered its first defeat in 2019. Akbayan's entry into the winning party-list circle was the result of a Supreme Court ruling affirming the Comelec's decision to cancel An Waray's party-list registration. An Waray ranked 27th among the 56 party-list groups during the 2022 elections. In a 14-1 vote, the Court en banc said the Comelec did not commit grave abuse of discretion when it canceled An Waray's registration after one of its nominees, Victoria Isabel Noel, was found to have illegally assumed office as second representative in the 16th Congress without a certificate of proclamation. As a result of the Court's ruling, Akbayan, which got 236,226 votes, got the 56th place, which entitled it to one seat in Congress.