By Claire Morales True, Managing Editor

MANILA – Exactly a week after the May 12 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on May 19, proclaimed all but two of 54 winning party-list groups who will serve for three years.
Two days earlier, the Comelec proclaimed the winning senators led by reelectionist Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go who obtained 27,121,073 votes, the highest vote in senatorial elections. The winning senators will serve for six years.

The proclamation ceremony, led by Comelec Chairman George Garcia, was held at The Manila Hotel Tent City witnessed by family members and supporters.

A total of 59 allotted seats for party-list groups in the House of Representatives were distributed among the organizations that garnered the required number of votes.

Based on the final National Canvass Report released by the Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), the top three groups with the highest number of votes are Akbayan (2,779,621), Duterte Youth (2,338,564), and Tingog (1,822,708). They will be awarded three seats each.

However, the proclamation of Duterte Youth, one of the topnotchers, and BH-Bagong Henerasyon (319,603 for one seat) is suspended due to disqualification petitions arising from alleged “grave violations of elections laws.” The two groups petitioned the Supreme Court and the Comelec to allow their proclamation.

Three groups will get two seats each: 4Ps (1,469,571 votes), ACT-CIS (1,239,930) and Ako Bicol (1,073,119 votes).

The following will get one seat each: USWAG-Ilonggo (777,754), Solid North (765,322), Trabaho (709,283), CIBAC (593,911), Malasakit@bayanihan (580,100), Senior Citizen (577,753), PPP (575,762), ML (547,949), FPJ Panday Bayanihan (538,003), United Senior Citizens (533,913), 4K (521,592), LPGMA (517,833), COOP-NATCCO (509,913), Ako Bisaya (477,796), CWS (477,517), Pinoy Workers (475,985), AGAP (489,412), Asenso Pinoy (423,133), Agimat (420, 813) and TGP (407,922).

Also entitled to one seat each are Sagip (405,297), Alona (393,684), 1-Rider Partylist (385,700), Kamanggagawa (382,657), GP (Galing sa Puso) (381,880), Kamalayan (381,437), Bicol Saro (366, 177), Kasug Tausug (365,916), ACT-Teachers (353,631), One Coop (334,098), KM Ngayon Na (324,405), Abamin (320,349), TUCP (314,814), Kabataan (312,344), APEC (310,427), Magbubukid (310,289), 1Tahanan (309,761), Ako Ilocano Ako (301,406), Manila Teachers (301,291), Nanay (293,430), Kapuso PM (293,146), SSS-GSIS Pensyonado (290,359), Dumper PTDA (279,532), Abang Lingkod (274,735), Pusong Pinoy (266,623), Swerte (261,379) and PHILRECA (261, 045).

Reelectionist Senator Maria Imelda Imee Marcos was the first to be proclaimed by the Comelec, acting as the National Board of Canvassers, clinching the 12th spot with 13,339,227 votes.

Sen, Marcos was joined by her mother, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, and her sons, Borgy and Michael Manotoc.

Marcos, clad in the polo of her father, the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., said her priority bills would focus on food security, job creation and social assistance.

“Suot ko ang damit ng tatay ko dahil dala ko ang mga pangarap ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino sa pagkain na abot kaya ng lahat, mga gastusin na hindi labis na mahal at sa trabaho at pag-asa ng ating mga kabataan (I am wearing my father’s cloth, carrying the dreams of Filipino people for food and commodities that are affordable, as well as more jobs and hope for the youth),” she said.

Marcos thanked former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice. President Sara Duterte for campaigning for her victory.

Proclaimed next were reelectionist Senator Manuel Lito Lapid in 11th place (13,394,102 votes), Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar in 10th (13,651,274) and Senator Juliana Pilar Pia Cayetano in ninth (14,573,430).

All three expressed their gratitude to their supporters and the administration coalition, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas. Villar was also endorsed by Vice President Duterte.

Cayetano said she would advance her pet bills focused on health, education, energy, and women and family.

Former senators Panfilo Ping Lacson and Vicente Sotto III placed seventh and eighth with 15,106,111 and 14,832,996 votes, respectively.

Lacson said he had already discussed with some incoming and incumbent senators the formation of an “independent, credible and transparent” Senate in the 20th Congress.

“Kung sino man ang masuportahan, ito lang ang lagi naming ipagdidiinan, kailangan independent tayo, kailangan transparent at kailangan competent tayo (Whoever gets support for Senate presidency, we would emphasize the need to be independent, transparent and competent),” he said on the sidelines of the proclamation ceremony.

Sotto said his priority in the Senate is to “propose right away” bills that would combat fake news and provision of a 14th-month pay.

SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta ranked sixth with 15,250,723 votes, while former senator Francis Pangilinan claimed fifth spot with 15,343,229 votes.

Pangilinan is in the United States for his daughter’s graduation. He was represented by his siblings.

ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, fourth with 17,118,881 votes, called for unity in the Senate and urged fellow lawmakers to set aside political differences for the greater good.

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who finished third with 20,773,946 votes, thanked his supporters for granting him another six-year term.

Former senator Paolo Benigno Bam Aquino, second overall with 20,971,899 votes, expressed appreciation to the youth for their support and vowed to champion free education and improved quality of life for all citizens.

There will be four sibling pairs in the Senate for the 20th Congress — Senators Jose Jinggoy Estrada and Josep Victor JV Ejercito; Senators Mark and Camille Villar; Senators Pia and Alan Peter Cayetano; and Senators Rafael and Erwin Tulfo.

The newly elected senators will assume office on June 30 and will serve until 2031.

The Comelec completed the canvassing of 175 Certificates of Canvass just three days after the elections on May 12, the fastest in the agency’s history. A total of 41,950,292 votes were cast in the party-list election, according to the Comelec.

The newly proclaimed party-list representatives will comprise 20 percent of the total composition of the House of Representatives. Each group will have a three-year term, from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2028.