MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not inclined to extend the deadline for party-list groups to file the required manifestation of intent to participate in the 2025 elections.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the Comelec finds it puzzling that there would be calls to extend the deadline when many organizations were able to submit on time the manifestation of intent.
“Most have complied; why can others not?” Garcia said as he further asked why the Comelec should extend a liberal application of the regulation to party-list organizations.
Based on Comelec data, only 106 organizations had submitted Manifestations of Intent to Participate when the submission of required documents from registered and existing party-list groups ended on Dec. 29, 2023.
The number of groups that expressed intent to participate in the next year’s polls is fewer than those that joined the party list elections in 2022.
Party-list organizations are required to file their Manifestation of Intent to Participate in the immediately succeeding party-list elections alongside their Petitions for Registration with the Comelec.