EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Fii’st Regular Session 
)
SENATE
(9Qicr c( lijr A rtrptarj*
‘If NOV-5 r3 21
S. No.
Introduced bv SENATOR LEILA M. DE LIMA
AN ACT
REDEFINING THE DOMINANT MAJORITY AND MINORITY PARTIES 
DURING NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7166, OTHERW ISE KNOWN AS, "AN 
ACT FOR SYNCHRONIZED NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS AND 
FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS, A m  HORIZING APPROPRIATIONS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PLTU'OSES
EXPIANATORY NOTE
The political situation of the Philippines, where the majorit\’ has, as early as 
1946, been described by Justice Perfecto as, “unnecessarily and dangerously too big”1, 
warrants that an effective check be placed so that the \ oice of the minority may be 
protected. As a safeguard against a circumvention of the provisions meant to strike a 
balance between the interests of the majority' and that of the minority -  who both 
represent sectors of our society, the Omnibus Election Code has described the 
Dominant Opposition Party, thusly:
Section 274. Accreditation of dominant 
opposition party. -  xxx the dominant 
opposition party shall be that political 
party, 
group, 
or 
organization 
or 
coalition of major national or regional 
political parties opposed to the majority 
party xxx.
1J. Perfecto, Concurring Opinion. Sotto v. COMELEC, G.R. No. L-329. (April 16,1946)
1


Perhaps to prevent a situation where powers are concentrated \\ithin the same 
group of people, the authors of the Code deemed it wise to define the Dominant 
Opposition Part\r as that pailv' which is “opposed to the majoritv' part\ .” This is an 
effective check to the majorits' whose widespread influence and control may become a 
threat to democracy which birthed it into existence.
The value of the Dominant Minorit}' Part}- is more than just the privilege of 
securing copies of election returns and certificates of candidacy. The purpose of a 
political opposition, after all, is to serve as a shadow government so that those in whom 
powers are reposed are monitored, and their acts scrutinized. Imagine a world without 
political opposition -  where acts no matter how atrocious, are committed without fear 
of accountabilitv- or punishment. It would be nothing short of a massacre of rights and 
freedoms. The absence of a genuine political opposition would amount to a license to 
anarchy garbed in brazen impunitv’.
This bill seeks to clarify the ambiguities that have led the COMELEC to issue 
Resolution No. 10538 on May 8, 2019 which has blurred the line between political 
majorify and minorify -  thereby creating a situation where the both the Dominant 
Majority and Dominant Minority are found on the same side of the spectrum -  
disregarding the true purpose of the determination thereof. As Commissioner Luie 
Tito F. Guia has aptly put it in his Memorandum2 3 dated May 8, 2019 as a response to 
the resolution:
The purpose of determining which are the 
Dominant Majority and Minority Parties is 
to 
e n su re  
fairn ess 
in 
trea tin g  
eo n ten d in g  o r opposing political 
gro u p s. The purpose will not be served if 
the Dominant Minority' Party also comes 
from the maiority.3
2 Esguerra, Darryl John. Comelec's Guia: Dom inant m inority party should come from  opposition. 10 May 2019. 
Inquirer. Available at: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1116635/com elecs-guia-dom inant-m inority-party-should- 
come-from-opposition <last visited on 16 October 2019>
3 Emphasis supplied.


The amendments sought to be introduced by this bill echoes the ruling of the 
Supreme Court in LDP v. COMELEC^,
The purpose of according dominant status 
and representation to a minorit>- party is 
precisely to sen e as an effective check on 
the majority.
Political opposition is more than just filibustering and grandstanding -  it is an 
essential element of democracy; and without which, freedoms and fundamental rights 
will become mythical concepts only heard of at campaigns but never truly felt 
thereafter. The interest of society' and the maintenance of good government demand a 
full disclosure of public affairs, and genuine political opposition guarantees all of 
these. Opposition is necessary for exchange and transparency, and they key that will 
help expose the chalice in which truth and justice is found -  often locked away from 
the public eye by officialdom.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
LEILA M. DE LIMA
4 G.R. No. 161265. (February 24, 2004)


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
iftf, 
Senate 
f'OV.Ut o( ti;r rfrr'.x M v p
*19 
NOV-5 P3 21
SENATE
S. No.
Introduced bv SENA l OR LEILA M. DE LLVIA
AN ACT
REDEFINING THE DOMINANT MAJORITY AND MINORITY PARTIES 
DURING NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS, AMENDING FOR TH E 
PURPOSE, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7166, OTHERW ISE KNOWN AS, "AN 
ACT FOR SYNCHRONIZED NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECI IONS AND 
FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS, AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic 
of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
1 
SECTION 1. A new section shall be hereby inserted after Section 25 of
2 
Republic Act No. 7166, othen\ise known as “An Act Proxiding for Synchronized
3 
National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms, Authorizing Appropriations
4 
Therefor, and for other purposes”, to read as follows:
5 
Section 
26. 
DOMINANT 
MAJORITY
6 
AND 
DOMINANT 
MINORITY
7 
PARTIES. -  THE DOMINANT PARTIES
8 
SHALL BE DETERMINED ALTER THE
9 
COMELEC 
SHALL 
HAVE 
FIRST
10 
DETERMINED 
W HICH 
PARTIES
11 
BELONG TO THE MAJORITY AND
12 
THE MINORITY. FOR PURPOSES OF
13 
THIS 
ACT, 
THE 
DOMINANT
14 
MAJORITY PARTY AND DOMINANT
15 
MINORITY 
PARTY 
SHALL 
BE
16 
DETERMINED BY THE COMELEC BY
17 
TAKING 
INTO 
ACCOUNT 
THE


1 
MATTERS 
ENUMERATED 
IN THE
2 
IMMEDIATELY 
SUCCEEDING
3 
SECTION.
4 
PROVIDED, 
THAT 
A 
PARTY,
5 
COALITION OR GROUP CANNOT BE
6 
DECIARED 
AS 
THE 
DOMINANT
7 
MINORITY PARTY UNLESS IT IS
8 
OPPOSED 
TO 
THE 
DOMINANT
9 
MAJORITY PARTY. PARTIES W HO
10 
FORM COALITIONS, PARTNERSHIPS,
11 
ALLIANCES, OR OTHER SIM H A R
12 
FORMS OF ARRANGEMENTS W ITH
13 
THE DOMINANT MAJORITY PARTY
14 
AT 
THE 
NATIONAL, 
REGIONAL,
15 
PROVINCIAL, OR CITY/MUNICIPAL
16 
LEVELS, SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED
17 
FROM BEING DECIARED AS THE
18 
DOMINANT MINORITY PARTY.
19 
All succeeding sections are hereby be renumbered
20 
accordingly.
21 
Sec. 2. Section 26 of Republic Act No. 7166, as amended by Section 34 of
22 
Republic Act No. 9369, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
Sec. 27. [See. 26.] Official Watchers. -  
Eveiy registered political party or coalition of 
political parties, and every candidate shall 
each be entitled to one watcher in every 
polling 
place 
and 
canvassing 
center: 
Provided, 
That, 
candidates 
for 
the
Sangguniang 
Panlalawigan, 
Sangguniang 
Panlungsod, 
or 
Sangguniang 
Bayan
belonging to the same slate or ticket shall 
collectively be entitled to only one watcher.


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3
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5
6
7
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10
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15
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26
1
There shall also be recognized six (6) 
principal watchers, representing the six (6) 
accredited major political parties, who shall 
be designated by the Commission upon 
nomination of the said parties.
The[se] DOMINANT MAJORITY, 
DOMINANT MINORITY, AND THE 
MAJOR political parties shall be determined 
by the Commission upon notice and hearing 
on the basis of the following circumstances:
(a) The established record of the said parties, 
coalition of groups that now composed them, 
taking into account, among other things, 
their showing in past elections;
(b) The number of incumbent elective 
officials belonging to them ninety (90) days 
before the date of election;
(c) Their identifiable political organizations 
and 
strengths 
as 
evidenced 
by 
their 
organized/chapters;
(d) The ability to fill a complete slate of 
candidates from the municipal level to the 
position of President; and
(e) Other analogous circumstances that may 
determine their relative organizations and 
strengths.
27 
Sec. 3. Separability Clause. -  If, for any reason, any section or provision of this
28 Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions which are
29 not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.


1 
Sec. 4. Repealing Clause. -  This Act expressly repeals Section 34 of Republic
2 Act No. 9369.
3 
All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations, rules and regulations or parts
4 thereof inconsistent herewith are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
5 
Sec. 5. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
6 publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation in the
7 Philippines.
Approved,