8 party-list groups leading in SWS poll

MANILA, Philippines — Less than a month before the midterm elections, eight party-list organizations are leading in the latest survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The April 11 to 15 survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group, showed the 4Ps party-list emerging as the most preferred organization with the support of 8.08 percent of the respondents.

It was followed by Duterte Youth with 7.32 percent, Asenso Pinoy with 4.08 percent, ACT-CIS with 3.55 percent, FPJ Panday Bayanihan with 3.51 percent, Tingog with 3.02 percent, Senior Citizens with 2.55 percent and Ako Bicol with 2.34 percent.

Based on election rules, party-list organizations that obtain at least two percent of the total votes cast are assured of at least one seat in Congress.

The rest of the allocated seats were divided based on the computation released by the Supreme Court in an earlier ruling.

Out of the eight, only Asenso Pinoy and FPJ Panday Bayanihan are not incumbents.

Other leading party-list organizations in the latest poll included Bicol Saro, 4K, Uswag Ilonggo, CIBAC, Solid North, TUCP, Nanay, Alona, United Senior Citizens, COOP-NATCCO, Akbayan, Babae Ako, Agimat, Magsasaka, Agap, SBP, Ahon Mahirap, PBBM, Malasakit@Bayanihan, Murang Kuryente, OFW, Pinoy Workers and API Party.

Stratbase president Dindo Manhit noted how name recall is a factor in the support received by some organizations.

“Many voters, especially from low-income sectors, directly associate 4Ps with the social aid with the same name, even though the party-list is separate from the program’s implementation,” he said.

“As for Duterte Youth, this group taps into the loyal support base of former president Rodrigo Duterte. The Duterte brand remains politically potent in many regions in the country,” he added.

Manhit also cited how some regional and advocacy-based party-list groups perform well due to “strong, concentrated support bases and clear, relatable advocacies.”

“Regional groups like Tingog and Ako Bicol mobilize voters through deep local networks and hometown pride, often backed by influential political families,” said the political analyst.

“Meanwhile, advocacy groups such as ACT-CIS and Senior Citizens gain traction by championing tangible, easily understood causes like public service, welfare or support for the elderly. Their clear messaging and presence in communities make them resonate with voters who seek action and representation,” he added.

The SWS survey had 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.31 percent.

Among the three party-list groups representing Region 5, Ako Bicol turned out to be the frontrunner based on surveys conducted by SWS from March 29 to April 5 this year.

SWS reported that Ako Bicol, whose first nominee is Rep. Zaldy Co and second nominee is Rep. Jil Bongalon, beat fellow regional organizations Ang Probinsyano and Bicol Saro in the pre-election surveys.

At the same time, Ako Bicol also remains the dominant regional political organization, with significantly higher support across Albay’s three congressional districts.

There are 63 seats in the House reserved for party-lists, with 156 groups competing for them.

President Marcos disqualified

For having unqualified nominees, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has barred the Pilipinas Babangon Muli (PBBM) party-list group from running in the May 2025 midterm polls.

In a 10-page resolution, the Comelec Second Division granted the petition of lawyer Jess Christian Ramirez to cancel the registration of PBBM as a regional political party intending to participate in the May 12 elections.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia, however, said PBBM may still file a motion for reconsideration of the ruling and even elevate the case before the Supreme Court.

Comelec said all 10 nominees of PBBM cannot be considered bona fide members of a regional political party purporting to represent Calabarzon.

It noted that the PBBM certification of nomination showed that eight of its nominees are residents of the province of Abra, one from Cagayan and another from Quezon City. — Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin