TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
S.B.
•t.itf oi t::
25 JUL 29 PI :13
SENATE
No. 757
RtCElVfcL* S'’
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT. NO. 7941, ENTITLED "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR 
THE ELECTION OF PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH THE PARTY- 
LIST SYSTEM, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR," OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE PARTY-LIST SYSTEM ACT', AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article VI Section 5 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that "(1) The House 
of Representatives shall be composed of not more than two hundred and fifty members, 
unless otherwise fixed by law, who shall be elected from legislative districts apportioned 
among the provinces, cities, and the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with the 
number of their respective inhabitants, and on the basis of a uniform and progressive 
ratio, and those who, as provided by law, shall be elected through a party-list system 
of registered national, regional, and sectoral parties or organizations (2) The party-list 
representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of 
representatives including those under the party list. For three consecutive terms after 
the ratification of this Constitution, one-half of the seats allocated to party-list 
representatives shall be filled, as provided by law, by selection or election from the 
labor, peasant, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, women, youth, and such 
other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector."
In Bayan Muna vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 147613, June 26, 2001, the Supreme 
Court emphasized that 'The party-list system is a social justice tool designed not only 
to give more law to the great masses of our people who have less in life, but also to 
enable them to become veritable lawmakers themselves, empowered to participate 
directly in the enactment of laws designed to benefit them. It intends to make the 
marginalized and the underrepresented not merely passive recipients of the State's 
benevolence, but active participants in the mainstream of representative democracy. 
Thus, allowing all individuals and groups, including those which now dominate district 
elections, to have the same opportunity to participate in party-list elections would


desecrate this lofty objective and mongrelize the social justice mechanism into an 
atrocious veneer for traditional politics".
Over the years, the interpretation of the party-list law has shifted to allow 
greater diversity in the sectors represented and the types of organizations permitted to 
participate. However, this broader interpretation has also opened the door for 
opportunistic individuals to exploit the system, using it to advance agendas that do not 
align with the interests of the Government and the State. As a result, the voices of 
genuinely marginalized and underrepresented groups are often drowned out by political 
parties and party-list groups with questionable—or even nonexistent—advocacies, 
eager to exploit what has become a "backdoor" to the House of Representatives. These 
developments have contributed to the very social, economic, and political inequalities 
that the framers of our Constitution intended to prevent.
The proposed amendments in this bill aim to curb the abuses of the party-list 
system. At the same time, it seeks to address the social, economic, and political 
inequalities afflicting our nation by creating a more authentic opportunity for genuinely 
marginalized and underrepresented sectors to elect their rightful representatives to the 
House of Representatives.
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
/l.
‘‘iMie^LTMARCOS


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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
of
25 JUL29 PI :13
SENATE
S.B. No. 757
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT. NO. 7941, ENTITLED "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR 
THE ELECTION OF PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH THE PARTY- 
LIST SYSTEM, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR," OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE 'PARTY-LIST SYSTEM ACT', AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended by inserting a new 
Section 3 to read as follows:
"SEC. 3. CLASSIFICATION OF GROUPS UNDER THE PARTY- 
LIST SYSTEM. - THE PARTY-LIST SYSTEM SHALL BE DIVIDED INTO 
TWO CLASSIFICATIONS: (A) POLITICAL PARTIES OR COALITION 
OF POLITICAL PARTIES, AND (B) SECTORAL PARTIES OR 
ORGANIZATIONS. FIFTY PERCENT (50%) OF THE SEATS 
ALLOCATED FOR THE PARTY-LIST SHALL BE RESERVED FOR 
POLITICAL PARTIES AND COALITIONS OF POLITICAL PARTIES 
AND THE OTHER FIFTY PERCENT (50%) SHALL BE RESERVED FOR 
SECTORAL PARTIES OR ORGANIZATIONS: PROVIDED, THAT IN 
CASE OF AN ODD NUMBER IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATS TO 
BE ALLOCATED, THE SAME SHALL BE ALLOCATED TO THE PARTY- 
LIST GROUP NEXT IN RANK IN TERMS OF TOTAL NUMBER OF 
VOTES REGARDLESS OF CLASSIFICATION. IN THE EVENT OF A 
TIE, PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE PARTY-LIST GROUP THAT 
BELONGS TO THE CLASSIFICATION THAT HAS THE HIGHER 
NUMBER OF TOTAL PARTY-LIST CANDIDATES FOR THAT 
PARTICULAR ELECTION.
SECTORAL PARTIES, SECTORAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND 
COALITIONS OF SECTORAL PARTIES SHALL EXCLUSIVELY


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REPRESENT THE MARGINALIZED AND UNDERREPRESENTED 
SECTORS AS DEFINED IN THIS ACT."
SEC. 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as
follows:
Definition of Terms. - (a) xxx.
"SEC. [3] 4.
(b) xxx.
(c) xxx. 
xxx.
(d) xxx.
(e) xxx.
(f) xxx.
(G) MARGINALIZED AND UNDERREPRESENTED SECTORS REFER TO 
THE SECTORS EXPRESSLY MENTIONED IN ARTICLE VI, SECTION 5 
OF THE CONSTITUTION AND OTHER SECTORS THAT ARE, BY 
NATURE, ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, CULTURALLY, OR 
SOCIALLY MARGINALIZED FROM, AND/OR UNDERREPRESENTED 
IN, MAINSTREAM ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, CULTURAL, OR SOCIAL 
ACTIVITIES. THESE SECTORS INCLUDE FISHERFOLK, PERSONS 
WITH DISABILITIES, VETERANS, OVERSEAS WORKERS, AND 
SIMILAR SECTORS."
SEC. 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. [4] 5. Manifestation to Participate in the Party-List System. -
Any party, organization, or coalition already registered with the 
[C-onimission] COMELEC need not register anew. However, such 
party, organization or coalition shall file with the Commission, not 
later than [ninety (90) days] ONE (1) YEAR before the election, a 
manifestation of its desire to participate in the party-list system 
AND WHETHER IT IS PARTICIPATING AS A POLITICAL PARTY OR 
COALITION OF POLITICAL PARTIES OR A SECTORAL PARTY OR 
ORGANIZATION; PROVIDED, THAT THE COMELEC SHALL CLASSIFY 
THE PARTY-LIST GROUP AS A POLITICAL PARTY OR A SECTORAL 
PARTY OR ORGANIZATION."
SEC. 4. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read 
as follows:


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"SEC. [5] 6. Registration. - Any organized group of persons may 
register as a party, organization or coalition for purposes of the 
party-list system by filing with the COMELEC not later than [ntnety 
(90) days] ONE (1) YEAR before the election a petition verified by 
its president or secretary stating its desire to participate in the 
party-list system as a [national, regional or sectoral party or 
organization or a coalition of such parties or organizations]
NATIONAL OR REGIONAL POLITICAL PARTY OR COALITION OF 
POLITICAL PARTIES OR A SECTORAL PARTY OR ORGANIZATION 
OR COALITION OF SECTORAL PARTIES, attaching thereto its 
constitution, by-laws, platform or program of government, list of 
officers, coalition agreement and other relevant information as the 
COMELEC may require. [; provided, that the sectors shall include 
labor,—peasant,—fishorfolk,—urban—poor,—indigonous—caiturai
crHTHTKmitics, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, -veterans,
overseas workers, and professionals.]
XXX.
XXX.
SEC. 5. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read 
as follows:
"SEC. [6] 7. Removai and/or Canceiiation of Registration. - The
COMELEC may motu proprio or upon verified complaint of any 
interested party, remove or cancel, after due notice and hearing, 
the registration of any national, regional or sectoral party, 
organization or coalition on any of the following grounds:
(1) It is a religious sect or denomination, organization or 
association organized for religious purposes;
(2) It advocates violence or unlawful means to seek its goal;
(3) It is a foreign party or organization;
(4) It is receiving support from any foreign government, foreign 
political party, foundation, organization, whether directly or 
through any of its officers or members or indirectly through third 
parties for partisan election purposes;
(5) It violates or fails to comply with laws, rules or regulations 
relating to elections;


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(6) It declares untruthful statements in its petition;
(7) It has ceased to exist for at least one (1) year; [or]
(8) It fails to participate in the last two (2) preceding elections 
or fails to obtain at least two percentum (2%) of the votes cast 
under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections for 
the constituency in which it has registered[t];
(9) MATERIAL MISREPRESENTATION OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF 
ITS NOMINEES; OR
(10) A FINDING BY FINAL JUDGMENT THAT IT DIRECTLY OR 
INDIRECTLY PARTICIPATED IN ACTS DETRIMENTAL TO THE BEST 
INTEREST OF THE GOVERNMENT, TO OVERTHROW THE 
GOVERNMENT OR DIMINISH ITS POWERS, OR TO BE ASSOCIATED 
BY ANY MEANS TO REBELS OR THOSE DESIGNATED AND/OR 
PROSCRIBED TERRORST PERSONS UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
11479 OR "THE ANTI-TERRORISM ACT OF 2020."
SEC. 6. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read 
as follows:
"SEC. [7] 8. Certified List of Registered Parties.- The 
COMELEC shall, not later than sixty (60) days before election, 
prepare a certified list of [national,-regional/ or sectoral parties, 
organizations or coalitions] NATIONAL OR REGIONAL POLITICAL 
PARTIES OR COALITION OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND A CERTIFIED 
LIST OF SECTORAL PARTIES OR ORGANIZATIONS OR COALITION 
OF SECTORAL PARTIES which have applied or who have manifested 
their desire to participate under the party-list system and distribute 
copies thereof to all precincts for posting in the polling places on 
election day. The names of the party-list nominees shall not be 
shown on the certified list."
follows:
SEC. 7. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as
"SEC. [8] 9. Nomination of Party-List Representatives. - xxx.
A person may be nominated in one (1) list only. Only persons 
who have given their consent in writing may be named in the list. 
The list shall not include any candidate for any elective office or 
person who has lost his bid for an elective office in the immediately 
preceding election. THE LIST MAY CONTAIN UP TO TEN NOMINEES.


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No change of names or alteration of the order of nominees shall be 
allowed after the same shall have been submitted to the COMELEC 
except in cases where [the) a nominee dies[7 or withdraws in 
writing^ his nomination,] OR becomes MENTALLY OR PHYSICALLY 
incapacitated AND THERE IS PROOF THAT SUCH INCAPACITY WILL 
LIKELY PERSIST THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE TERM FOR 
WHICH THE PARTY-LIST THAT NOMINTATED HIM OR HER IS 
SEEKING ELECTION, in which case the name of the substitutes 
nominee shall be placed last in the list. Incumbent [sectoral] 
PARTY-LIST representatives in the House of Representatives who 
are nominated in the party-list system shall not be considered 
resigned."
SEC. 8. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"SEC. [9] 10. Qualification of Party-List Nominees. - No person shall be 
nominated as party-list representative unless he is a natural born 
citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, a resident of the 
Philippines for a period of not less than one (1) year immediately 
preceding the day of the election, able to read and write, bona fide 
member of the party or organization which he seeks to represent 
for at least [ninety (90) days] ONE YEAR preceding the day of the 
election, and is at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the day of 
the election[t]: PROVIDED, THAT THE NOMINEES OF A SECTORAL 
PARTY OR ORGANIZATION MUST BELONG TO THE MARGINALIZED 
AND UNDERREPRESENTED SECTOR WHICH THEY SEEK TO 
REPRESENT.
In case of a nominee of the youth sector, he must at least be 
twenty-five (25) but not more than thirty (30) years of age on the 
day of the election. Any youth sectoral representative who attains 
the age of thirty during his term shall be allowed to continue until 
the expiration of his term."
SEC. 9. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"SEC. [40] 11. Manner of Voting, - Every voter shall be entitled to [two (2)] 
THREE (3) votes: the first is a vote for candidate for member of the House 
of Representatives in his legislative district, [aed] the second, a vote for the 
POLITICAL party [yergantzation,] or coalition he wants represented in the 
House of Representatives, AND THE THIRD, A VOTE FOR THE 
SECTORAL PARTY OR ORGANIZATION UNDER THE PARTY-LIST 
SYSTEM WHICH HE WANTS REPRESENTED IN THE HOUSE OF


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REPRESENTATIVES: Provided, That a vote cast for a party, sectoral 
organization, or coalition not entitled to be voted for shall not be counted[f 
Provided, finally. That the first election under the party list system shall bo
held in May 1998.].
XXX."
SEC. 10. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"SEC. [44] 12. Number of Party-List Representatives. - xxx.
XXX.
In determining the EQUAL allocation of seats for the [second vote]
POLITICAL PARTIES OR COALITION OF PARTIES AND THE 
SECTORAL PARTIES OR ORGANIZATION UNDER THE PARTY-LIST 
SYSTEM, PURSUANT TO SECTION 3 HEREOF, the following procedure 
shall be observed:
(a) xxx.
(b) . The parties, organizations, and coalitions receiving at least two percent 
(2%) of the total votes cast for the ENTIRE party-list system shall, TO THE
EXTENT POSSIBLE, 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 proportion to their total number of 
votes: provided, [finaHy] FURTHER, that each party, organization, 
or coalition shall be entitled to not more than three (3) seats [?]; 
PROVIDED FINALLY, THAT THE EQUAL PROPORTION OF SEATS 
BETWEEN THE NOMINEES OF POLITICAL PARTIES OR COALITIONS 
AND SECTORAL PARTIES OR ORGANIZATIONS, AS SET FORTH IN 
SECTION 3 HEREOF, BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES."
SEC. 11. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7941 is hereby amended to read as 
follows:
"SEC. [43] 13. Procedure in Allocating Seats for Party-List Representatives.- 
The COMELEC shall SEPARATELY tally all the votes for the POLITICAL 
OR COALITION OF POLITICAL parties, AND SECTORAL PARTIES OR 
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."


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All succeeding sections of Republic Act No. 7941 are hereby renumbered 
accordingly.
SEC. 12. Separability Cause. - If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected 
shall remain valid and subsisting.
SEC. 13. Repealing Cause. - All laws, decrees, orders, and issuances, or 
portions thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SEC. 14. Effectivity Cause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,