MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has rejected over 120 applications for party-list registration ahead of the 2022 national elections.

>https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/07/21/businessman-seeks-partylist-house-for-underprivileged

In a tweet Wednesday, Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon revealed the poll body junked the application of 126 party-list groups.

She said "126 applicants for party-list registration were denied by Comelec. More than 100 of denied applicants filed motion for reconsideration."

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Comelec's deadline to register a party-list group ended on March 31, 2021.

During the period to file certificates of candidacy and nominations, 270 party-list groups filed their candidacies to join the Halalan 2022 race pending approval of their registration petitions.

On Oct. 20, Comelec released an initial list of 118 existing party-list groups given accreditation and 53 newly-formed ones granted fresh registration.

Guanzon said the poll body will finish hearing the rejected groups' appeals by Dec. 6 before they finalize who will make the 2022 ballot.

"Must finish by Dec. 6 Final date for ballot prep Dec. 15," she said.

Among the notable newly-formed party-list groups seeking accreditation are Mothers for Change (MOCHA) of Mocha Uson and Malasakit Movement of Celine Pialago.

The partylist system was conceived as a means to empower marginalized and under-represented sectors of society.

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However, in the previous decades, political dynasties, billionaires, and other members of powerful clans have entered the system, with analysts and election experts calling for overhaul.

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