Comelec tightens party-list rules

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday released new rules for registering and accrediting political groups, aiming to professionalize the party-list system and purge inactive organizations ahead of the 2028 elections.

Comelec Resolution No. 11204, promulgated on March 11 by the Comelec en banc, sets a deadline for new groups to register by Dec. 18, 2026, or nearly two years before the general election. The rules streamline oversight of national, regional, and sectoral parties, often criticized as opaque or dominated by political dynasties.

All registered parties must now submit a Sworn Information Update Statement and an audited financial statement every August, according to the poll body. Groups that skip the last two elections or fail to win a seat face delisting, ensuring only active organizations remain on the ballot.

The commission also tightened rules on party names and identity. Acronyms cannot exceed 20 characters and cannot use government project names, public figures, or social media platforms, preventing groups from exploiting brand or celebrity associations.

The party-list system “is a mechanism of proportional representation,” the resolution says, adding that sectoral organizations must identify and “represent only one clearly defined physical attribute or characteristic, employment, interest, or concern.”

“Petitions filed not in accordance with these Rules shall not be docketed and shall be outrightly dismissed,” the Comelec added. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking