By Leslie Ann Aquino
Bayan Muna earned the top spot among partylist organizations in the official ballot in the May 2019 midterm polls.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez answer the questions of the media on the about the no bio no boto during the kapihan forum at the aloha hotel in manila yesterday, also in photo leyte congressman ferdinand "martin" romualdez.(photo by ali vicoy)
The Commission on Elections held the raffle to determine the listing of partylist groups in the ballot Wednesday.
The second spot was bagged by Kabalikat ng Mamamayan followed by Magkakasama sa Sakahan Kaunlaran.
The other partylist groups included in the top 10 are Philippine Educators Alliance for Community Empowerment Party, National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc, OFW Family Club Inc,1 United Transport Koalisyon, KusugTausug, GLobal Workers and Family Federation Inc and AngNars Inc.
Partylist group Kasosyo Producer Consumer Exchange Association Inc, where former PCOO assistant secretary Mocha Uson is a nominee, landed on the 134th spot, the Adhikaing Tinataguyod ng Kooperatiba(ATING KOOP) party-list is No. 144.
A total of 181 partylist groups were included in the electronic raffle but only 134 were able to send a representative.
Earlier, the poll body already said that partylist groups, organizations or coalitions who fail or neglect to send a representative with a written authority under oath during the raffle shall be considered to have waived their right to participate.
The names of these party-list groups will be listed alphabetically below the raffled list.
In an interview, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez explained why they have adopted the electronic raffle in determining the order of listing in the ballot instead of just arranging them alphabetically.
"We noticed that partylist groups started adopting strange names. Names that were geared towards ensuring they were in the top half of the ballot," he said.
"There is this theory going around. Some people say that it’s been proven, some people dispute the claim that placement on the ballots actually has an effect on your chances of getting votes. Meaning to say the higher up on the ballots you are, the more votes you get. I don’t know that it’s ever been enough to push you over the winning line but of course, everyone wants every advantage that they can get," added Jimenez.
"So, since that is the case, it is apparent that PL groups were adopting names that were fairly obsessive of getting to the top. You could see names that are starting with AAA not having to do at all with the advocacy being represented," he said.
The Comelec adopted the raffle system starting in the 2013 elections.