Bayan Muna, Magdalo and 48 Others Lose Their Party-List Registration. Why?
Comelec is cleaning up the party-list roster ahead of the 2028 elections. Here’s who is out and what the rules say.
If you vote for a party-list group, check your list before 2028. Some familiar names are gone.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has canceled the registration of 50 party-list groups, among them Bayan Muna, Magdalo Para sa Pilipino and Buhay Hayaan Yumabong (Buhay). The en banc made it official through Resolution 11281, promulgated on Oct. 15.
Why Were They Removed?
The rules come from Republic Act 7941, the Party-List System Act. Under Section 6, Comelec may cancel a group’s registration, after due notice and hearing, if it:
- did not take part in the last two elections, or
- failed to get at least 2 percent of party-list votes, and did not win a seat, in the last two elections.
Ten groups fell under the first reason. They include Ako Ayoko sa Bawal na Droga (AKO), the Filipino Family Party, the Grains Retailers’ Confederation of the Philippines (GRECON) and Luntiang Pilipinas Partylist.
The other 40 did not get enough votes or a seat in the last two elections. Under the system, a group that misses the 2 percent mark can still win a seat in a second round of allocation, so these groups fell short on both counts. Besides Bayan Muna, Magdalo and Buhay, the list includes A Teacher, Ako-OFW, Babae Ako, Banat, Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas, DIWA, Pamilya Muna, RAM and WIFI.
Was This Sudden?
No. Earlier this month, Comelec released a Notice of Cancellation and Delisting, saying the groups’ registrations “are being considered for removal or cancellation.” Resolution 11281 came after that notice, more than a year after the May 2025 elections.
Is the List Final?
Comelec left room for more, and it has signaled that other groups may be delisted if needed. The resolution is “without prejudice” to action against retained groups that fail to file a Manifestation of Intent to Participate, and to any petitions for cancellation or disqualification against groups or their nominees for the 2028 national and local elections.
The 50 might not be the last.
Why Does This Matter?
The party-list system was meant to give a voice in Congress to sectors that often go unheard, such as workers, farmers, teachers and OFWs. Registered groups compete for those seats every three years.
Removing groups that do not run, or that keep falling short of the vote threshold, keeps the ballot shorter and the system closer to what the law intends.
Some of the delisted names have long histories in Philippine politics, which is why the list has caught people’s attention. Before 2028, retained groups still have to file their Manifestation of Intent to Participate, and anyone can still file a petition to cancel or disqualify a group or its nominees. As of Thursday, Oct. 22, no delisted group had publicly said it would appeal.
