Members of the House of Representatives open the 2nd regular session of the 19th Congress on July 24, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File 

MANILA — Majority of the 63 elected party-list representatives do not represent the marginalized, election watchdog Kontra Daya said on Monday, May 19, after the Commission on Elections officially proclaimed the party-lists assured with seats in the 20th Congress.

Among the 54 winning party-list groups, Kontra Daya flagged 32, comprising 20 associated with political dynasties, nine related with big businesses, four have connections with the police or military, three with corruption cases, and one with insufficient public information.

Source: Kontra Daya

These numbers include the Duterte Youth and Bagong Henerasyon party-lists, of which proclamations of winning were suspended by the Comelec due to the disqualification petitions filed against them.

Akbayan, Duterte Youth, Tingog win 3 party-list seats each

Proclamation of Duterte Youth, Bagong Henerasyon party-lists suspended

The Party-List System Act states that party-lists should create a “proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives from national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions.”

This system intends Filipinos belonging to the marginalized and underrepresented sectors to represent their sectors in the lawmaking procedures, as members of the House of Representatives.

Political families 

According to data from the ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit, two in three party-list nominees of the party-list groups that secured seats in the 2025 party-list elections have one or more members elected in office, often across generations and sometimes simultaneously.

Based on ABS-CBN Research and Verification Unit’s count, at least 39 of the 60 party-list nominees who may serve in the next Congress belong to political families. The list of party-list nominees is based on the Commission on Elections’ Certified List of Candidates as of February 7, 2025, and may not include any changes made afterward.

Four party-list nominees are related by blood or affinity to officials holding positions from the highest office to local government.

Tingog party-list, which won three seats, has its first nominee, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and third nominee, Marie Josephine Diana Calatrava, who are the son and sister-in-law of House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Calatrava is the sister of Romualdez’s wife, outgoing Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Romualdez.

TUCP Party-list’s first nominee and incumbent representative, Raymond Democrito Mendoza, is the uncle of Yedda and Calatrava.

The Romualdezes’ presence spans multiple branches of government. The Speaker himself has been reelected. He is a cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Tacloban City Mayor-elect Alfred Romualdez, whose son will serve as vice mayor.

Meanwhile, the Mendozas dominate Cotabato’s politics, with Raymond Mendoza’s wife Lala, elected governor, and his stepdaughter, Samantha Santos, elected third district representative.

Pwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat (PPP) party-list’s first nominee is a cousin of Vice President Sara Duterte. The Dutertes maintain a stronghold in Davao City’s local politics, with former President Rodrigo Duterte winning mayor while detained in the Netherlands, and his children Sebastian and Paolo securing vice mayor and congressional seats.

Five party-list nominees are related to either outgoing, incumbent, or newly elected senators, extending their clan’s reach across both chambers of Congress.

•    FPJ Panday Bayanihan’s first nominee, Brian Poe Llamanzares, is the son of outgoing Sen. Grace Poe Llamanzares.

•    SAGIP Party-list’s first nominee, Paolo Henry Marcoleta, is taking over from his father, Senator-elect and former representative Rodante Marcoleta.

•    Incumbent ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Pua Tulfo is the wife of Sen. Raffy Tulfo and sister-in-law of Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo.

•    Incumbent CIBAC Rep. Eduardo Villanueva is the father of Sen. Joel Villanueva.

•    Incumbent Agimat Party-list Rep. Bryan Revilla is the son of outgoing Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and reelected Cavite 2nd District Rep. Lani Mercado

Ten party-list nominees are relatives of reelected or newly elected district representatives, extending their family’s influence within the House of Representatives. Seven of the 10 have family members holding local government posts.

•    Ako Ilocano Ako Party-list’s first nominee, Richelle Louise Singson-Michael, is the daughter of Chavit Singson. Her siblings include reelected Ilocos Sur 1st District Rep. Ronald Singson and Ilocos Sur Vice Governor-elect Ryan Singson.

•    KAPUSO-PM Party-list’s first nominee, Munir Arbison Jr., is the son of unopposed and reelected Sulu 2nd District Rep. Munir Arbison and former Sulu 2nd District Rep. Maryam Arbison.

•    ACT-CIS Party-list’s first nominee and incumbent representative, Edvic Go Yap, is the brother of reelected Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap and reelected Quezon City 4th District Councilor Egay Yap.

•    SOLID NORTH Party-list’s first nominee, former Abra Rep. Menchie Bernos, is swapping posts with her husband, Joseph Sto. Niño “JB” Bernos. They are also related to Bucay, Abra Mayor-elect Jaja Bernos.

•    Kusug Tausug Party-list’s first nominee, Aiman Tan, is related to reelected Sulu 1st District Rep. Samier Tan and Sulu Governor-elect Abdusakur Tan II.

•    ABAMIN Party-list’s first nominee, Maximo Rodriguez Jr., is the brother of reelected Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and the sister of Cagayan de Oro City Vice Mayor-elect Bebot Rodriguez.

•    Asenso Pinoy Party-list’s first nominee, Henry Oaminal Jr., is the brother of reelected Misamis Occidental 2nd District Rep. Ando Oaminal and the son of reelected Misamis Occidental Gov. Henry Oaminal Sr.

•    4Ps Party-list’s first nominee, Atty. Marcelino Libanan, is the father-in-law of reelected Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales.

•    Ako Bisaya Party-list’s first nominee, Sonny Lagon, is the husband of reelected Cebu 6th District Rep. Daphne Lagon.

•    Dumper PTDA’s first nominee, Claudine Diana Bautista-Lim, is the daughter of reelected Davao Occidental Rep. Claude Bautista

Fourteen other nominees have relatives holding local positions.

Three nominees are replacing their relatives in Congress. Manila Teachers Party-list’s first nominee, Ma. Nina Francesca Lacson, is taking her father's seat, while AKO BICOL’s Elizaldy Salcedo Co is succeeding his brother. LPGMA Party-list’s Allan Ty, recently reelected, is taking over the seat formerly held by his brother.

Two nominees have family members who once held government posts. 1TAHANAN Party-list’s first nominee, Nathaniel Oducado, is the grandson of Narciso Oducado, who served as mayor of Sapian, Capiz, from 1947 to 1954. Abang Lingkod Party-list’s first nominee, Manuel Frederick Ko, is related to former Negros Occident Provincial Board Member Johnna Ko.

Then there’s one nominee, MALASAKIT@BAYANIHAN’s Girlie Veloso, who is the wife of Brgy. Capt. Schubert Veloso of Perrelos, Carcar City, Cebu.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The list of party-list nominees is based on the Commission on Elections’ Certified List of Candidates as of February 6, 2025, and may not include any changes made afterward.

Most party-lists in 2025 elections don't represent marginalized sectors: watchdog

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