MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will proclaim Gabriela Party-list this week as winner in the May 12 national and local election, giving the party-list the 64th and last slot.
Election Chairman George Erwin Garcia said Sunday that Gabriela will be proclaimed on Wednesday during the Commission’s regular en banc session.
“It’s just a matter of formality,” added Garcia, saying that the seat will be occupied by its first nominee Sarah Elaga.
The Comelec chief said that the move is in compliance with the Constitution and Republic Act (RA) 7941 or the Party-List System Act, which mandates that the party-list representatives should comprise 20 percent of the total House membership.
The current membership of the House comprises 254 seats for representatives from the electoral districts, apportioned by population, as well as 63 seats for party-lists elected via the party-list system.
Garcia explained that 63 seats is only a little over 19 percent of the total seats. With 64 party-list seats it would become 20.2 percent, which complies with the mandatory 20 percent requirement of existing laws.
