The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will still be as strict in accrediting party-list groups in the May 2022 polls.
Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said the poll body usually accredits only a number of applicants for party-lists.
"The Comelec really dissects their applications. We don't just accredit party-lists," he said during the Laging Handa forum Tuesday, Feb. 23.
"As a matter of fact, we usually just approve about 20 percent of the applicants for party-lists," added Abas.
He also revealed the recent delisting of 39 party-list groups that were accredited.
"As of last elections, we have accredited 160 party-list groups. Out of 160 we delisted 39," Abas said.
Last week, the Comelec delisted the 39 party-list groups for failing to obtain at least two percent of the votes cast for the party-list system, failure to obtain a seat in the 2nd round of seat allocation for the party-list system in the last two preceding elections, and failure to participate in the last two-preceding elections.
"We now only have 121 party-list groups accredited but the Comelec is open for new accreditation, re-registration or re-accreditation of party-lists," said Abas.
Meanwhile, the poll chief expects the guidelines on the protocols that will be implemented for next year's elections to be out before the year ends.
"The process is ongoing...the protocols from canvassing, filing, counting and all. Maybe at the end or the last quarter of this year," said Abas.
The Comelec already set the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the May 2022 polls from Oct. 1 to 8, 2021.
The poll body also gave aspiring party-lists until March 31 to get registered and file their "Manifestation of Intent to Participate" in the May 2022 elections.