Garcia pushes for early deadline for political party, PL registration
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia wants the deadline for the filing of petition for accreditation of political parties and party-list groups to be set early.

He said this is in order for them to be able to decide early which political parties and party-lists are eligible to participate in the May 2025 polls.
"For me, if it is possible, I want it to be only until next year," said Garcia during the Laging Handa public briefing Thursday, Sept. 1.
"At least, we will have the whole of 2024 to determine which can participate, and which cannot participate," he added.
Garcia said there were instances in the past wherein the petitions have not been decided yet with just days before Election Day.
It was last month when the Comelec announced that it has started accepting applications for registration from political parties and party-lists.
Based on Section 60 of the Omnibus Election Code, in order to acquire a juridical personality, qualify it for subsequent accreditation, and to entitle it to the rights and privileges granted to political parties, a political party shall first be duly registered with the Commission.
Section 5 also of the Party-List System Act provides that any organized group of persons may register as a party-list group by filing with the Comelec a petition verified by its president or secretary stating its desire to participate in the party-list system.