" THREE AT THE TOP: PARTYLIST ELECTION TOPNOTCHERS PROVE TO BE AN INTERESTING MIX "

THE RESULTS OF THE PARTYLIST ELECTIONS ARE NOTHING SHORT OF INTERESTING, WHAT WITH A VARIED MIX OF TOPNOTCHERS. THE CONTRASTING FATES OF A NUMBER OF NEWCOMERS AND FORMER WINNERS WHICH MISSED THE CUT MAKES FOR AN EVEN MORE ENGAGING SCENE FOR THOSE INTENTLY FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS AT THE BIGGER CHAMBER.

The 2025 partylist race’s top three is an interesting mix of partylist groups that represent different sectors in today’s political scene: a progressive political party, a “youth group” established to support a president, and a regional partylist group identified with a top leader of Congress. Akbayan Partylist, Duterte Youth Partylist, and Tingog Partylist accounted for almost seven million votes out of the 41,950,292 votes cast for the partylist elections. Each earned the maximum three seats in the 20th Congress. They will be joined by 51 other winning partylist groups. The 2025 elections saw the highest number of votes cast for the partylist elections in over a decade, with 73.14 percent of the total 57,353,968 voters who participated in the general elections casting their votes for their partylist groups of choice. What are the stories behind the top three partylist groups, what are their plans, and who will lead their efforts in the next Congress?

AKBAYAN: TWIST OF FATE

Akbayan Citizen’s Action Party emerged as the surprise topnotcher in this year’s partylist race. Preelection surveys placed Akbayan either outside or just within the winning circle. In the end, it earned 2.779 million votes, the highest vote count for any partylist group since the partylist system came into being in 1997.

This year’s result for Akbayan is in complete contrast to its fate in the 2022 polls, when it finished just outside the 56-member winning circle, placing 57th. Its first nominee LGBTQAI+ rights advocate and former National Youth Commission Commissioner Percival V. Cendaña was able to take his rightful seat only in September 2024 after the registration of one of the declared winners was cancelled due to violations of the Party-list Act. Wasting no time, Cendaña f iled a number of bills on various issues, including the drug problem, contractualization of labor, gender-based harassment, people’s participation in the budget process, and relocation of homeless citizens. He also endorsed one of the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Akbayan is a pioneer partylist organization in Congress, and has a winning record, having made it to Congress in all elections since 1998, except in 2019. Earning three seats, Akbayan will be represented by human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” I. Diokno, Cendaña, and Muslim women’s rights advocate Haima Kiram Ismula. The party has vowed to prioritize measures dealing with contractualization of labor, political dynasties, and assistance to college students. Akbayan will also take a major role in the vice president’s impeachment trial, as Diokno has been added to the House prosecution panel. Diokno’s entry into Akbayan and Cendaña’s performance as congressman were major factors in the party’s strong showing. Diokno was originally set make another run for the Senate but later on accepted the invitation to be part of Akbayan and be its f irst nominee. He brought with him the support of students and youth leaders dubbed as Cheldren. Post-election interviews highlighted the role of students and young voters in convincing older voters to support Diokno and Akbayan. Despite a last ditch effort by another progressive partylist group to discredit Akbayan and Diokno, the partylsit group emerged on top after the votes were canvassed.

DUTERTE YOUTH: CONTROVERSIAL PAST, TROUBLED PRESENT

Duterte Youth, which stands for Duty to Energize the Republic Through the Enlightenment of the Youth, lived up to preelection survey results that placed it among the top three partylist groups. It received 2.338 million votes, earning three seats in the 20th Congress. Duterte Youth was established in 2016 to support the candidacy and later, the administration of eventual presidential election winner Rodrigo Duterte. It gained one seat each in the 18th and 19th Congresses, where it pushed for, among others, the reinstatement of the death penalty specifically for heinous crimes and reinstatement of the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps program for college students.

On the day of the proclamation of winning partylist groups in the 2025 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) suspended the proclamation of Duterte Youth on account of pending petitions against it. Among the allegations are claims that Duterte Youth submitted false information about the ages of its nominees. The partylist group questioned the timing of the suspension, noting that similar allegations were made in 2019, yet they were still allowed to assume office and were re-elected in 2022 and again in 2025. The partylist group also denied allegations that it is unregistered, it engaged in vote buying, and promotes violence, and vowed to clear its name. Duterte Youth is no stranger to controversies. It had previously been accused of fielding overaged candidates in the privous elections, including its founder and president Ronald Cardema. As questions regarding overage nominees were being resolved in 2019, the partylist group said it represented not just the youth but also professionals. The Comelec, however, did not accept such claim, noting that it had been made only after the age controversy erupted. A number of youth organizations and progressive partylist groups also expressed negative sentiments against Duterte Youth, saying it is not a legitemate organization representing the youth.

Reacting to the bases for the suspension of its proclamation, Cardema claimed that they had responded to all allegations way back in 2019, when Kabataan Partylist filed a disqualification case against it. The revived issues, he said, “are shallow issues bereft of factual basis. We were allowed to occupy our seats after winning in 2019 and 2022, and now that millions of Filipinos voted for us, we are being told on the very day of our supposed proclamation that said proclamation is suspended due to serious allegations filed by Kabataan Partylist in 2019. If such are truly serious, why didn’t [the Comelec] decide on such after our last hearing in 2019? This is definitely a grave abuse of discretion, putting our proclamation on hold even as millions of Filipinos voted us in. Elections are the last proof that democracy is still alive [in our country], but [the government] is toying with who could take their seats in Congress.”

The Comelec, however, stood pat on its decision, stating that the suspension will remain in effect until the poll body is able to resolve the issues raised. If and when the isue of their accreditation and proclamation is resolved, Duterte Youth Partylist will be represented by returning Representative Drixie May Cardema, who is known for her pro-death penalty stance; Philippine National Police alumna Berlin Baday Lingwa; and Philippine Military Academy alumnus Ron Godfrey Waggawag Bawalan.

TINGOG: REACHING A MILESTONE

Tingog Siniringan (Voice of the East), more popularly known as Tingog Partylist, surpassed expectations by landing third in the partylist elections. Its 1.822 million vote total made it the third and final group entitled to three seats in the 20th Congress. “This renewed mandate is deeply humbling,” said Representative Jude Acidre, who is Tingog’s secod nominee. “It tells us that the people still believe in the kind of leadership we offer— one that listens, that serves, and that delivers.” Tingog traces its roots to 2012, when it was established as a provincial political party. It later on grew into a regional political party advocating for the needs of the Eastern Visayas, particularly in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. While the partylist group’s initial commitment was to give the people of Eastern Visayas a voice in Congress, it has grown to be a partylist group carrying a voice not just for their own “but for every Filipino who longs to be heard.” Tingog’s first nominee is young businessman Andrew Julian Romualdez, who is the son of Speaker Martin Romualdez and Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez. Reelected Representative Acidre, known for advocating for economic resilience, development for the Visayas and the welfare of overseas Filipino workers, is its second nominee. Former Tingog Regional Chair for the Visayas Happy Calatrava will complete the list of Tingog’s representatives in the 20th Congress.

By emerging as a topnotcher in the 2025 elections, Tingog achieved a significant milestone with regard to the number of seats gained. It failed to secure a seat in its initial foray into the partylist system in 2016, but gained one seat in 2019 and two seats in 2022. Tingog is expected to continue pushing for inclusive legislation, accessible public service, and community-based governance in the 20th Congress. After topping the polls, the next challenge for Akbayan, Duterte Youth, and Tingog is to live up to the people's expectations.

Auspicious Launches, Missed Flights

 A number of first-time participants in the partylist elections had auspicious debuts, each earning a spot in the roster of partylist representatives.

Solid North Party placed eighth, with 764,433 votes. Its first nominee Ching Bernos will represent the party in Congress. Meanwhile, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) took 14th spot with 546,689 votes. Its seat will be occupied by first nominee Atty. Leila de Lima. Taking the 15th spot is FPJ Panday Bayanihan with 533,953 votes. To serve as its representative is Brian Daniel Poe Llamanzarez. Even as Solid North and ML are first-time partylist election participants, their nominees are no strangers to legislative work. Bernos is the outgoing representative of the 2nd District of Abra, while de Lima is a former senator. Meanwhile, Llamanzares served as her mother Senator Grace Poe’s chief of staff. Meanwhile, a number of notable former winners missed the cut.

In the same position as Akbayan was in 2022 is Gabriela Women’s Party, which placed 55th with 256,222 votes. At just a spot outside the winning circle, Gabriela will gain a seat if the disqualification case against Duterte Youth prospers. Gabriela’s f irst nominee is former Kabataan Partylist Representative Sarah Jane Elago. 1-Pacman, which won two seats in 2016 and 2019, and a seat in 2022, faltered in its 2025 bid. It finished at 62nd spot, getting about 30,000 votes less than PHILRECA, which secured the last of 63 seats available. Bayan Muna, a partylist group which won three seats four times, two seats twice, and one seat once from 2001 to 2019, now faces delisting as it did not land a seat for the second election in a row. First nominee and former Representative Neri Colmenares pointed to redtagging and sustained negative campaigning by certain groups as major factors for the electoral debacle. The party, however, has vowed to keep serving the people in other ways.