New group leads top 10 in party-list race

MANILA, Philippines - Newly formed regional party-list Ako Bicol Political Party (AKB) is leading the race for representation of marginalized sectors, the initial tally of the National Board of Canvassers yesterday showed.

As of 4:58 p.m. yesterday, Ako Bicol Political Party was leading with 616,562 votes; followed by Buhay Hayaan Yumabong, 392,793; Abono, 203,008; Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in the Philippines Inc., 233,742; Gabriela Women’s Party, 227,068; Cooperative Natcco Network Party, 190,826; Akbayan! Citizen’s Action Party, 194,082; Bayan Muna, 165,824; Abante Mindanao Inc., 160,404; Citizen’s Battle Against Corruption, 158,976.

Also leading in the race are Alliance for Barangay Concerns Party, 134,319; Atong Paglaum, 115,295; Advocacy for Teacher Empowerment Through Action Cooperation and Harmony Towards Educational Reforms, 111,588; Kabataan Partylist, 97,603; Anakpawis, 88,760; Alagad Partylist, 70,372; Butil Farmers Party, 65,724; An Waray, 61,867; LPG Marketers’ Association Inc., 61,545; and Act Teachers, 61,342.

AKB was endorsed by actor Eddie Garcia during the campaign period. Its nominees are Christopher Co, Rodel Batocabe, Alfredo Garbin Jr., Ronald Ang, and Carlo Paolo Pangilinan.

Party president Batocabe said they were surprised that their group is leading the party-list race.

“We are really very happy though surprised of the outcome,” said Batocabe, a lawyer. “We will do more to help Bicolanos, or anybody who would be needing our service and assistance.”

He attributed their performance in the polls to their track record of having helped marginalized Bicolanos even before AKB was accredited as a regional political party, particularly students needing financial assistance.

Party spokesman Joshua Martinez said they would expand their existing scholarship programs in Bicol.

A total of 57 party-list groups can be represented in the House of Representatives. A group obtaining at least two percent of the total number of party-list votes cast is guaranteed a seat. As of yesterday, the number of party-list voters reached 27 million based on the unofficial count.

In the past manual elections, there had been allegations that some groups bought their seats from corrupt officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said this is no longer possible in the automated system. 

The formula for allocating seats to winning party-list groups is still not clear, and is subject to the discretion of the Comelec.

A party-list representative enjoys the same privileges as a lawmaker elected from a congressional district, including P70 million in annual pork barrel funds. – With Jess Diaz, Cet Dematera