đź“·Kontra Daya | FB
Kontra Daya on Tuesday, February 12, warned Filipino voters to be vigilant in assessing party-list groups and their nominees to ensure that the system serves its intended purpose.
The watchdog group issued the statement as their study revealed that 86 out of 156 party-list groups vying for seats in the upcoming 2025 elections have alleged links to political dynasties, big businesses, and the police or military. This accounts for 55.13% of all groups participating in the elections, raising concerns about the integrity of the party-list system.
“It is possible for members of political clans, including incumbent party-list representatives, to be listed not in the top three nominees but lower down the list,” the group warned. “This should be a reminder to the public to scrutinize all 10 party-list nominees and not just the top three.”
Kontra Daya emphasized that many of the groups flagged are leading in Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys conducted in December 2024 and January 2025. “Most of the survey leaders are among those flagged for hijacking the party-list race,” the group said.
Seven groups leading in these surveys—4PS, ACT-CIS, Duterte Youth, Ako Bicol, FPJ Bantay Bayanihan, Tingog Sinirangan, and TGP—are under scrutiny for such connections.
Political dynasties reportedly dominate several of these groups: 4PS (Abalos family), ACT-CIS (Tulfo and Yap clans), FPJ Bantay Bayanihan (Poe-Llamanzares with Dolor and Paton families), and Tingog Sinirangan (Romualdez family).
Meanwhile, big business interests are said to back Ako Bicol (Sunwest) and TGP (Teravera, a Department of Public Works and Highways project contractor). Duterte Youth has been flagged for its military ties and its history of red-tagging.
Kontra Daya noted that these groups are among those exploiting the party-list system, which was originally designed to give marginalized sectors a voice in Congress.
The group also highlighted specific cases of concern, including Tingog Sinirangan’s connection to the Romualdez clan, to which the current House Speaker belongs.
ACT-CIS was cited as an example of how the Tulfo political dynasty has expanded its influence, not only securing seats in the House of Representatives but also holding a Senate position and a Cabinet post.
Further, Kontra Daya pointed out instances where party-list nominees submitted incomplete information to the Commission on Elections, providing vague job descriptions and omitting specific details. (TCSP)
