THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI 
First Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. QsmeAa 111 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article VI, Section 5, par (2) of the Constitution provides that party-list 
representatives shall constitute twenty per cent (20%) of the total membership of 
the House of Representatives. 
With this innovation in the Philippine electoral system, any regional, national 
or sectoral party which qualifies under the general criteria and requirements can 
aim for representation in the House of Representatives. 
In 1995, Congress passed RA 7941, otherwise known as the "Party List 
System Act," providing the mechanics for party list elections starting in the year 
1998. Section 1 I thereof provides that only those parties or organizations which 
receive at least 2% of the total votes cast shall be entitled to a seat in the House of 
Representatives. 
On September 9, 1998, the Commission on Elections issued Supplemental 
Resolution No. 3047-C proclaiming only 14 nominees of 13 party-list groups as 
winners in the party-list elections as they were the only ones who garnered at least 
2% of the votes cast for party list. 
The requirement of at least 2% of the party list votes in effect deprived 
many sectors of representation in the House of Representatives. It also frustrated 
the constitutional mandate for party list representatives to constitute twenty percent 
(20%) of the total number of members in the House, since it is highly improbable 
for 50 party list groups to get at least 2% each of total votes cast. 
This bill proposes that the party list groups which garner the fifty (50) 
highest number of votes shall be proclaimed winners provided that any single 
party, organization, or coalition shall be entitled to not more than three seats. This 
bill also proposes the application of the same qualifications and disqualifications 
to the District representatives as upon the party list representatives. 
With this measure, the mandate of the Constitution will be upheld, and 
representation in the House will be democratized. 


In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
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It- 
SERGIO OSMENA I I I  
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLI 
:a 7 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator S. R. OsmeAa 111 
AN ACT 
AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7941, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE PARTY LIST SYSTEM ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. - Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7941 , otherwise known as 
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“SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall promote 
the “Party List System Act” is hereby amended to read as follows: 
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proportional representation in the election of representatives to the 
House of Representatives through a party-list system of registered 
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national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions 
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thereof, which will enable Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized 
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and underrepresented sectors, organizations and parties and who lack 
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well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to the 
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formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the 
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nation as a whole, to become members of the House of 
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Representatives. 
Towards this end, the state shall develop .and 
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guarantee a full, free and open party system in order to attain the 
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broadest possible representation of party, sectoral or group interests in 
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the House of Representatives by enhancing their chances to compete 
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for and win seats in the legislature, and shall provide the simplest 


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scheme possible TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE 
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THAT PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVES 
SHALL CONSTITUTE 
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TWENTY 
PERCENT (20%) 
OF 
THE 
TOTAL 
NUMBER OF 
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SEC. 2. Section 8 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
REP RES EN TAT I VES . ” 
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follows: 
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“SEC. 8. Nomination of Party-List Representatives. - Each 
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registered party, org‘anization or coalition shall submit to the’ 
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COMELEC not later than forty-five (45) days before the election a list 
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of names, not less than five (5) from which party-list representatives 
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shall be chosen in case it obtains the required number of votes. 
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“A person may be nominated in one (1) list only. Only persons 
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who have given their consent in writing may be named in the list. The 
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list shall not include any candidate for any elective office [or a person 
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who has lost his bid for an elective office in the immediately preceding 
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election]. No change of names or alteration of the order of nominees 
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shall be allowed after the same shall have been submitted to the 
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COMELEC except in cases where the nominee dies, or withdraws in 
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writing his nomination, 
becomes incapacitated 
in which case the 
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name of the substitute nominee shall be placed 
last in the list. 
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Incumbent sectoral representatives in the House of Representatives 
who are nominated in the party-list system shall not be considered 
resigned. 
THE Q UALl FICATIONS AND DISQUALI FI CAT1 ONS 
APPLICABLE TO DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES SHALL LIKEWISE 
APPLY TO PARTY LIST REPRESENTATIVES.” 
SEC. 3. Section 10 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
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“SEC. I O .  Manner of voting. - Every voter shall be entitled to 
two (2) votes: the first is a vote for the candidate for member of the 


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House of Representatives in his legislative district, and the second, a 
vote for the party, organization or coalition he wants represented in 
the House of Representatives: Provided, That a vote cast for the 
party, sectoral organization or coalition not entitled to be voted for shall 
not be counted; Provided, fina//y, that the first election under the 
party-list system shall be held in May 1998. 
The COMELEC 
shall undertake the necessary information 
campaign for purposes of educating the electorate on the matter of the 
.party list system. THE COMELEC IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO 
USE THE TWO-BALLOT SYSTEM UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8436 
FOR THE PURPOSE‘OF VOTING, COUNTING OF VOTES, AND‘ 
CANVASSlNG/CONSOLIDATION OF RESULTS OF NATIONAL AND 
LOCAL ELECTIONS.” 
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SEC. 5. Section 11 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“SEC. I I. 
Number of Parfy-Lisf Represenfafives. - The 
party-list representatives shall constitute twenty percent (20%) of 
the total number of the members of the House of Representatives 
included those under the party-list. 
“For purposes of the May 1998 elections, the first five (5) 
major political parties on the basis of party representative in the 
House of Representatives at the start of the Tenth Congress of the 
Philippines shall not be entitled to participate in the party-list 
system. 
“In determining the allocation of seats for the [second vote] 
PARTY LIST REPRESENTATIVE, the following procedure shall be 
observed : 


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“(a) 
The parties, 
organizations, and coalitions shall be 
ranked from the highest to the lowest bast on the number of votes 
they garnered during the elections. 
“(b) the [parties, organizations and coalitions receiving at 
least two percent (2%) of the total votes cast for the party-list 
system shall be entitled to one seat each: Provided, That those 
garnering more than two percent (2) of the votes shall be entitled 
to additional seats in the proportion to their total number of votes] 
FIRST 
FIFTY 
(50) 
NOMINEES 
WHO 
RECEIVE 
THE 
PROPORTIONATE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES SHALL BE 
PROCLAIMED WINNERS: Provided, finally, That each party, 
organization or coalition shall be entitled to not more than three (3) 
seats. 
SEC. 6. 
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Section 12 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as 
follows: 
“SEC. 12. 
Procedure in Allocating Seats for Party-List 
Representatives. - The COMELEC shall tally all the votes for the parties, 
organizations, or coalitions on a nationwide basis, rank them according to 
the number of votes received and allocate party-list representatives 
proportionately [according to the percentage of votes obtained by each party, 
organization, or coalition as against the total nationwide votes cast for the 
party-list system] AMONG THEMSELVES PURSUANT TO SECTION 11 
ABOVE.” 
SEC. 7. Separabilify Clause. If any section or provision of this Act 
shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions not 
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect 
SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
regulations and other issuances inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
deemed modified, revoked or repealed accordingly. 


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SEC. 9. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication 
in 
two 
(2) 
leading 
newspapers 
of 
national 
circulation. 
Approved,