6 more groups joining party-list polls

Comelec expects more new groups, but will start printing ballots on Monday

Six more groups have been added on Tuesday to the list of organizations that can participate in the party-list elections in May, bringing the total to 150.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) released the official list of 144 groups last Friday, including a gay group which the Supreme Court ordered included while a review of its disqualification is pending.

The 6 additional groups, according to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, had filed their petitions for inclusion earlier, but the processing of their petitions were not completed in time for last Friday's announcement.

They are the: Alliance for Rural and Agrarian Reconstructioon, Inc. (ARARO) LPG Marketers Association, Inc. (LPGMA) Alyansa Lumad Mindanao, Inc. (ALLUMAD) Alyansa ng OFW Party (Alyansa) Ang National Coalition on Indigenous People's Action (Ang NCIP) Bagong Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Samahan sa Sektor ng Transportasyon (Bangon Transport).

The total number of groups, 150, competing for partylist representation in Congress comprise half of the maximum 300 names that could be printed on one side of the election ballot.

Jimenez is anticipating that more groups will be added to the list since the poll body is still processing other petitions.

He maintained, however, that the printing of ballots will still start on January 25.

Meanwhile, the Comelec started accepting Tuesday the list of nominees of qualified party-list groups.

Jimenez stressed the importance of submitting the names of nominees. "The Comelec is under obligation to publish the names of the nominee. This will help the public in deciding with party list organization they will support."

Jimenez clarified that the nominee "need not be marginalized...in your own personal circumstance." The nominee should only be "at least has root or intimately involved with that sector" and have the "necessary tools and skills to craft national legislation of some significance."

Jimenez's interpretation is in accordance with the spirit of the Party List Act. The Supreme Court, however, said in a 2001 ruling that the nominees of marginalized groups should themselves belong to that marginalized sector.

The poll body will accept names of nominees for partylist representation until March 6.