Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. aio

Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Republic Act No. 7941 or the Party-List System Act was promulgated on March
3, 1995. The law serves as the fulfillment of the provision of the 1987 Philippine
Constitution that requires the representation of marginalized sectors in the Philippine
Legislative System.

From the cases of Veterans Federation Party v COMELEC in 2000 until the
case of Atong Paglaum v COMELEC in 2013, the Party-List System Act has been
interpreted by the Supreme Court in many different ways resulting in several formulas
‘on how to compute the allocation of seats to the party-lists. The varying interpretations
cause confusion and lack of consistency in the allocation of seats every election.

In order to avoid confusion and provide for consistency, there is a need to
simplify the process of allocating seats for party-list groups. In this bill, it is proposed
that the top two (2) party-lists which garnered the highest number of votes shall be
entitled to three (3) seats each; while the party-lists groups which placed third (3°) to
seventh (7*) shall be entitled to two (2) seats each. Thereafter, party-lists groups
which placed eighth (8"") and below shall be entitled to one (1) seat each until all
available seats for Party-Lists are allocated.

With a simple and clear-cut method in allocating Party-Lists seats, the
complications associated with a sophisticated formula are eliminated.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is immediately sought.

Oy

RON P. SALO
KABAYAN Partylist

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. $400

Introduced by Representative Ron P. Salo

———

AN ACT
AMENDING SECTIONS 11 AND 12 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7941 OR THE
PARTY LIST SYSTEM ACT

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall also be known as the “Party List
System Act Amendment.”

SEC. 2. Amendments to Sections 11 and 12 of Republic Act No. 7941 or
the Party List System Act. —

“Sec. 11. Number of Party-List Representatives. — The
party-list representatives shall constitute twenty percentum (20%)
of the total number of the members of the House of Representatives
including those under the party-list.

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fere-than-three-{3} seats.

Sec. 12. Procedure in Allocating Seats for Party-List
Representatives. - The COMELEC shall tally all the votes for the
PARTY-LISTS ies; : o i on a nationwide
basis, and rank them according to the number of votes received.

THE TOP TWO (2) PARTY-LISTS WHICH GARNERED THE
HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO THREE
(3) SEATS EACH. PARTY-LISTS WHICH PLACED THIRD (3°)
TO SEVENTH (7") SHALL BE ENTITLED TO TWO (2) SEATS
EACH. PARTY-LISTS WHICH PLACED EIGHTH (8™) AND
BELOW SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ONE (1) SEAT EACH UNTIL
ALL AVAILABLE SEATS FOR PARTY-LISTS ARE ALLOCATED.

SEC. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) shall promulgate
the implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SEC. 4, Separability Clau:
invalid or unconstitutional, the remait
to be in full force and effect.

~ If any provision or part of this Act is declared
ing parts or provisions not affected shall continue

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, and administrative
orders or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed
or amended accordingly.

SEC. 6. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the online version of the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of
general circulation.

Approved.

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