Accredited party-list groups for May polls now 150

The number of party-list organizations that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allowed to participate in the May 10 automated elections has increased to 150 with the addition of six more on Tuesday. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said more groups may still be added in the list as there are some whose accreditation remain pending. The six additions to the list are: • Alliance for Rural and Agrarian Reconstruction, 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 Koalison ng Nagkakaisang Samahan sa Sektor ng Transpostasyon (Bangon Transport) Jimenez said the six would be allowed to participate in the May polls after the Comelec approved their manifestations of intent to participate in this year's elections. The Comelec had earlier approved the candidacies of 144 party-list groups. Of these, 66 had participated in past elections while 78 are newly-accredited groups. As mandated by the Party-List System Act or Republic Act 7941, the groups have 45 days before the elections – or from January 19 to March 26 – to submit a list of at least five nominees for party-list representatives to the Comelec Law Department. Comelec chairman Jose Melo said no thorough screening is needed for a party-list representative as long as he or she is a Filipino citizen residing in the country, of legal age, and a registered voter. “Not really, screening lang if he has the basic qualifications," Melo said, adding that unless the suspicion on a nominee is “very glaring," the poll body cannot do anything about it. Jimenez said the groups have the freedom to pick their nominees, noting that he or she need not be necessarily “marginalized" themselves. "The representative himself need not be marginalized, you just have to come from that sector so that you can represent them." Melo, for his part, said that they are leaving it up to the voters to decide. "It’s always better to leave it to the voters if in doubt," he said. The campaign period for party-list groups will begin on February 9 and will end on May 8. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV