· Not an official government website

BatasKo

Ang Batas, Sa Simpleng Salita — your rights, finally explained.

Republic Act No. 7941· Enacted 1995-03-03

Party-List System Act (RA 7941) — BatasKo ELI5

Paano gumagana ang party-list sa Pilipinas? RA 7941 gives marginalized Filipinos — workers, farmers, youth, women — seats in Congress. Plain language guide.

ELI5ElectionsOFW RelevantRA-7941electionscongress

Ang Batas sa Madaling Salita— ELI5

Ang party-list system ay isang paraan para makapasok sa Kongreso ang mga sektor na dati ay hindi kinakatawan — manggagawa, magsasaka, mangingisda, kabataan, kababaihan, at iba pa. Sa halip na lumaban sa distrito, nag-boto ka ng partido at nanalo ang mga kinatawan ng sektor mo.

Official text — Republic Act No. 7941

Jump to section ↓23 sections

Preamble

REPUBLIC ACT No. 7941

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ELECTION OF PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH THE PARTY-LIST SYSTEM, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Section 1

Section 1.

Title.

This Act shall be known as the "Party-List System Act."

Section 2

Section 2.

Declaration of part y.

The State shall promote proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives through a party-list system of registered national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions thereof, which will enable Filipino citizens belonging to marginalized and under-represented sectors, organizations and parties, and who lack well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as a whole, to become members of the House of Representatives. Towards this end, the State shall develop and guarantee a full, free and open party system in order to attain the broadcast possible representation of party, sectoral or group interests in the House of Representatives by enhancing their chances to compete for and win seats in the legislature, and shall provide the simplest scheme possible.

Section 3 — Definition of Terms.→

Section 3.

Definition of Terms.

(a) The party-list system is a mechanism of proportional representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives from national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions thereof registered with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Component parties or organizations of a coalition may participate independently provided the coalition of which they form part does not participate in the party-list system.

(b) A party means either a political party or a sectoral party or a coalition of parties.

(c) A political party refers to an organized group of citizens advocating an ideology or platform, principles and policies for the general conduct of government and which, as the most immediate means of securing their adoption, regularly nominates and supports certain of its leaders and members as candidates for public office.

It is a national party when its constituency is spread over the geographical territory of at least a majority of the regions. It is a regional party when its constituency is spread over the geographical territory of at least a majority of the cities and provinces comprising the region.

(d) A sectoral party refers to an organized group of citizens belonging to any of the sectors enumerated in Section 5 hereof whose principal advocacy pertains to the special interest and concerns of their sector,

(e) A sectoral organization refers to a group of citizens or a coalition of groups of citizens who share similar physical attributes or characteristics, employment, interests or concerns.

(f) A coalition refers to an aggrupation of duly registered national, regional, sectoral parties or organizations for political and/or election purposes.

Section 4 — Manifestation to Participate in the Party-List System.→

Section 4.

Manifestation to Participate in the Party-List System.

Any party, organization, or coalition already registered with the Commission need not register anew. However, such party, organization, or coalition shall file with the Commission, not later than ninety (90) days before the election, a manifestation of its desire to participate in the party-list system.

Section 5 — Registration.→

Section 5.

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 ninety (90) days 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, 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, fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, veterans, overseas workers, and professionals.

The COMELEC shall publish the petition in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

The COMELEC shall, after due notice and hearing, resolve the petition within fifteen (15) days from the date it was submitted for decision but in no case not later than sixty (60) days before election.

Section 6 — Refusal and/or Cancellation of Registration.→

Section 6.

Refusal and/or Cancellation of Registration.

The COMELEC may, motu propio or upon verified complaint of any interested party, refuse 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;

(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 per centum (2%) of the votes cast under the party-list system in the two (2) preceding elections for the constituency in which it has registered.

Show 16 more sections +→
Section 7 — Certified List of Registered Parties.→

Section 7.

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 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 part y-list nominees shall not be shown on the certified list.

Section 8 — Nomination of Party-List Representatives.→

Section 8.

Nomination of Party-List Representatives.

Each registered party, organization or coalition shall submit to the COMELEC not later than forty-five (45) days before the election a list of names, not less than five (5), from which party-list representatives shall be chosen in case it obtains the required number of votes.

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 a person who has lost his bid for an elective office in the immediately preceding election. 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 nominee dies, or withdraws in writing his nomination, becomes incapacitated in which case the name of the substitute nominee shall be placed last in the list. Incumbent sectoral representatives in the House of Representatives who are nominated in the party-list system shall not be considered resigned.

Section 9 — Qualifications of Party-List Nominees.→

Section 9.

Qualifications 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, a bona fide member of the party or organization which he seeks to represent for at least ninety (90) days preceding the day of the election, and is at least twenty-five (25) years of age on the day of the election.

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 (30) during his term shall be allowed to continue in office until the expiration of his term.

Section 10 — Manner of Voting.→

Section 10.

Manner of Voting.

Every voter shall be entitled to two (2) votes: the first is a vote for candidate for member of the House of Representatives in his legislative district, and the second, a vote for the party, organizations, or coalition he wants represented in the house of Representatives: Provided, That a vote cast for a party, sectoral organization, or coalition not entitled to be voted for shall not be counted: Provided, finally, 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.

Section 11 — Number of Party-List Representatives.→

Section 11.

Number of Party-List Representatives.

The party-list representatives shall constitute twenty per centum (20%) of the total number of the members of the House of Representatives including those under the party-list.

For purposes of the May 1998 elections, the first five (5) major political parties on the basis of party representation 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, the following procedure shall be observed:

(a) The parties, organizations, and coalitions shall be ranked from the highest to the lowest based 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 proportion to their total number of votes : Provided, finally, That each party, organization, or coalition shall be entitled to not more than three (3) seats.

Section 12 — Procedure in Allocating Seats for Party-List Representatives.→

Section 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.

Section 13 — How Party-List Representatives are Chosen.→

Section 13.

How Party-List Representatives are Chosen.

Party-list representatives shall be proclaimed by the COMELEC based on the list of names submitted by the respective parties, organizations, or coalitions to the COMELEC according to their ranking in said list.

Section 14 — Term of Office.→

Section 14.

Term of Office.

Party-list representatives shall be elected for a term of three (3) years which shall begin, unless otherwise provided by law, at noon on the thirtieth day of June next following their election. No party-list representatives shall serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms. Voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered as an interruption in the continuity his service for the full term for which he was elected.

Section 15 — Change of Affiliation; Effect.→

Section 15.

Change of Affiliation; Effect.

Any elected party-list representative who changes his political party or sectoral affiliation during his term of office shall forfeit his seat: Provided, That if he changes his political party or sectoral affiliation within six (6) months before an election, he shall not be eligible for nomination as party-list representative under his new party or organization.

Section 16 — Vacancy.→

Section 16.

Vacancy.

In case of vacancy in the seats reserved for party-list representatives, the vacancy shall be automatically filled by the next representative from the list of nominees in the order submitted to the COMELEC by the same party, organization, or coalition, who shall serve for the unexpired term. If the list is exhausted, the party, organization coalition concerned shall submit additional nominees.

Section 17 — Rights of Party-List Representatives.→

Section 17.

Rights of Party-List Representatives.

Party-List Representatives shall be entitled to the same salaries and emoluments as regular members of the House of Representatives.

Section 18 — Rules and Regulations.→

Section 18.

Rules and Regulations.

The COMELEC shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

Section 19 — Appropriations.→

Section 19.

Appropriations.

The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be provided in the regular appropriations for the Commission on Elections starting fiscal year 1996 under the General Appropriations Act.

Starting 1995, the COMELEC is hereby authorized to utilize savings and other available funds for purposes of its information campaign on the party-list system.

Section 20 — Separability Clause.→

Section 20.

Separability Clause.

If any part of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts or provisions thereof shall remain valid and effective.

Section 21 — Repealing Clause.→

Section 21.

Repealing Clause.

All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed.

Section 22 — Effectivity.→

Section 22.

Effectivity.

This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved, March 3, 1995.

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

Full text on BatasKo. Original source: Official Gazette / Lawphil.

Pag nakikita mo sa balota ang pangalan ng partido — hindi ng kandidato — at hindi mo alam kung saan iyon nagmula, ito ang batas na dapat mong basahin.

ELI5: Ang party-list system ay para sa mga grupo na karaniwang hindi nagtatagumpay sa regular na eleksyon — mga manggagawa, magsasaka, mangingisda, kabataan, babae, OFWs, PWDs. Biboto ka ng partido (hindi ng indibidwal) at kung sapat ang boto ng partido, makakakuha sila ng upuan sa Kongreso — hanggang 3 upuan bawat partido. 20% ng lahat ng puwesto sa Kamara ay nakalaan para sa party-list.

Real Filipino Scenario

Si Lina, 28-anyos na factory worker sa Laguna, ay palaging nalilito sa party-list portion ng kanyang balota. Siyam na partido ang nakalista, lahat ay may makulay na logo at slogans. Hindi siya makapili.

Nang basahin niya ang programa ng bawat partido, nakita niya ang isa na nagtataguyod ng mga karapatan ng manggagawa sa BPO at manufacturing. Dinala niya ang isyu ng contractualization na loob ng matagal nilang nilalabanan sa planta.

Ibinoto niya iyon. Noong sumunod na Kongreso, may 2 kinatawan ang partido na iyon — at may biniling batas sila na nagpapatibay ng seguridad ng trabaho sa manufacturing. Iyon ang kapangyarihan ng party-list.

Ano Ang Sinasabi ng Batas

Ang Republic Act No. 7941, na nilagdaan noong Marso 3, 1995, ay tinatawag na "Party-List System Act." Ito ay nagpapatupad ng probisyon ng Konstitusyon ng 1987 na nagreserba ng 20% ng mga puwesto sa Kamara ng mga Kinatawan para sa party-list.

Sino ang maaaring lumahok (Section 5): Ang mga sumusunod na sektor ay espesipikong binanggit:

  • Labor (manggagawa)
  • Peasant (magsasaka)
  • Fisherfolk (mangingisda)
  • Urban poor (mahihirap sa lungsod)
  • Indigenous cultural communities
  • Elderly (matatanda)
  • Handicapped / PWDs
  • Women (kababaihan)
  • Youth (kabataan)
  • Veterans
  • Overseas workers (OFWs)
  • Professionals

Paano napanalunan ang puwesto (Section 11):

  • Ang partido ay dapat makakuha ng kahit 2% ng kabuuang boto para makakuha ng 1 upuan
  • Ang higit sa 2% ay may karagdagang upuan na proporsyonal sa boto
  • Maximum: 3 upuan bawat partido

Qualification ng mga nominee (Section 9):

  • Natural-born Filipino citizen
  • Registered voter
  • Naninirahan sa Pilipinas ng hindi bababa sa 1 taon bago ang eleksyon
  • Marunong bumasa at sumulat
  • Tunay na miyembro ng partido/sektor ng hindi bababa sa 90 araw bago ang eleksyon
  • Hindi bababa sa 25 taong gulang sa araw ng eleksyon
  • Para sa youth sector: hindi hihigit sa 30 taong gulang

Term at limitasyon (Section 14):

  • 3-taong termino
  • Maximum na 3 magkakasunod na termino bawat kinatawan
  • Ang party-list representative na babaguhin ang kanyang political affiliation ay mawawalan ng kanyang puwesto (Section 15)

Registration (Section 4-6):

  • Ang partido ay dapat mag-file sa COMELEC ng hindi bababa sa 90 araw bago ang eleksyon
  • Pwedeng mapawi ang registration kung dalawang eleksyon na ang di nilahukan, o hindi nakaabot ng 2% sa dalawang magkakasunod na eleksyon

Ano ang Ibig Sabihin Nito Para Sa Iyo

Bilang botante, ikaw ay may dalawang boto sa bawat eleksyon ng Kamara:

  1. Ang unang boto — para sa iyong district representative (kandidato sa iyong lugar)
  2. Ang pangalawang boto — para sa partido o sektor na gusto mong katawanin sa Kongreso

Hindi ka bumoboto ng pangalan — bumoboto ka ng partido. Ang partido ang magdedetermina kung sino sa kanilang listahan ng nominees ang mauupo.

Ang 20% na partido-list ay dinisenyo para matiyak na ang mga grupo na karaniwang nasa laylayan ng lipunan ay may boses sa pambatasan.

Ano ang Maling Iniisip ng Karamihan

Mali: "Ang party-list ay para sa mga partido ng politiko." Totoo: Ang party-list ay espesipiko para sa sektor — hindi para sa pangunahing political parties. Sa katunayan, ang mga pangunahing partido ay hindi maaaring lumahok sa party-list.

Mali: "Kung hindi ko paboritong partido ang nanalo, sayang ang aking boto." Totoo: Ang lahat ng boto ay binibilang proporsyonally. Kahit ang partido mong pinili ay hindi umabot sa 2%, ang iyong pagboto ay nagpapakita ng suporta at nakakatulong sa kanilang kinabukasan.

Mali: "Ang party-list representative ay mas mababa ang kapangyarihan kaysa district representative." Totoo: Kapantay sila. Ang party-list representatives ay may parehong sahod at pribilehiyo, at maaaring mag-author ng bills tulad ng regular na miyembro ng Kamara (Section 17).

Mali: "Maaari kang bumoto ng dalawang partido sa party-list." Totoo: Isang boto lang sa party-list portion. Kung magvote ka ng dalawa, hindi sila bibilhin.

Para sa OFW / For OFWs

Ang batas mismo ay espesipikong nagtatala ng overseas workers bilang isa sa mga sektor na maaaring lumahok sa party-list (Section 5).

Ibig sabihin, may party-list na nagtataguyod ng mga karapatan ng OFW sa Kongreso. Sa bawat eleksyon, maraming partido na nakatuon sa OFW advocacy ang nagpaparehistro sa COMELEC.

Para sa OFWs na gusto bumoto:

  • Ang absentee voting ay nagbibigay-daan sa mga OFWs na bumoto mula sa abroad — kasama na ang party-list vote
  • Makipag-ugnayan sa pinakamalapit na Philippine embassy o konsulado para sa absentee voter registration
  • // TODO: Verify absentee voting procedures for 2028 elections via COMELEC website

Kung OFW ka at nais mong aktibo sa party-list advocacy, maaari kang maging miyembro ng isang OFW party-list organization at makilahok sa kanilang advocacy — kahit nasa abroad ka.

Kung May Problema Ka Sa Party-List

  1. Para sa mga katanungan tungkol sa boto — makipag-ugnayan sa COMELEC hotline: (02) 8525-9263 o pumunta sa pinakamalapit na COMELEC office
  2. Kung may suspetsa kang anomalya sa pagbibilang ng party-list votes — maaaring mag-file ng protesta sa COMELEC
  3. Para sa mga katanungan tungkol sa isang partido — ang bawat partido ay may obligasyon na mag-publish ng kanilang platform at listahan ng nominees
  4. Mag-report ng election fraud — COMELEC Legal Department o iyong lokal na ombudsman
  5. Para sa absentee voters — makipag-ugnayan sa Commission on Overseas Voter Affairs (COVA) ng COMELEC

Related Laws

FAQs

Tanong: Paano ko malalaman kung ligitimo ang isang party-list? Tingnan ang COMELEC website para sa certified list ng registered party-list organizations. Bago ang eleksyon, naglalabas ang COMELEC ng opisyal na listahan ng lahat ng party-list na pinahintulutang lumahok.

Tanong: Maaari ba ang isang partido na lumahok sa parehong district at party-list? Hindi. Ang party-list ay eksklusibo para sa mga partido na hindi lumalahok sa district elections. Ang isang partido na may district candidates ay hindi maaaring maging party-list.

Tanong: Ano ang mangyayari kung umabot sa 3 upuan ang isang partido at may bakante? Ayon sa Section 16, ang bakante ay awtomatikong mapupuno ng susunod sa listahan ng nominees na isinumite ng partido sa COMELEC.

Sources

Pangkalahatang impormasyon lamang ito. Hindi ito legal advice. Para sa iyong partikular na sitwasyon, kumonsulta sa abogado o sa Public Attorney's Office (PAO) sa 1-800-10-PAO-8888.

By Irvin Abarca & Claude (AI Research Partner) | Published 2026-05-13

RELATED RIGHTS

Elections

ARMM Election Synchronization Law Philippines — BatasKo ELI5

Elections

Accessible Polling Places for PWDs and Senior Citizens Philippines — BatasKo ELI5

Elections

Mandatory Biometrics Voter Registration Philippines — BatasKo ELI5

Elections

Local Absentee Voting for Media (RA 10380) — BatasKo ELI5

Legal disclaimer: BatasKo provides general legal information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a licensed Filipino lawyer or the Public Attorney's Office (PAO).

← Browse all Republic Acts