Comelec set to proclaim Gabriela as winner of 64th party-list seat

(From left) Gabriela women’s party-list Representatives Cathy Estavillo, Sarah Elago, and Dr. Jean Lindo. INQUIRER.net file photo / John Eric Mendoza

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to proclaim Gabriela Women’s Party as the winner of the 64th party-list seat in the May 2025 elections.

Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Tuesday shared a copy of the invitation the poll body sent to Sarah Elago, the party-list’s first nominee.

“The undersigned wishes to inform you that the proclamation of Gabriela Women’s Party as the winner of the 64th Party-list Seat for the 2025 National and Local Elections will be held on Wednesday, 17 September 2025,” portion of the invitation read.

READ: Gabriela to get 64th party-list seat in House, says Comelec

Last Sunday, Garcia announced that the party-list will take the 64th party-list seat in the House of Representatives as the poll body’s compliance to a resolution increasing the party-list seats from 63 to 64.

Garcia previously said that he wrote to the Comelec en banc, stressing that the allocation of party-list seats in the lower must be 64, in line with the 1987 Constitution.

He explained that allotting only 63 seats, which is less than 20% of the party-list seats in the lower chamber, could violate the Constitution. Republic Act 7941 or the Party-list System Act mandates that party-list representatives should comprise 20% of all House members.

READ: Comelec en banc upholds ruling canceling Duterte Youth’s registration

Gabriela Women’s Party had repeatedly called on the Comelec for its proclamation following the cancelation of Duterte Youth Party-list’s registration.

Duterte Youth ranked second in the 2025 party-list race, with more than two million votes, amassing three seats.

Garcia also earlier clarified that the seat allocation for Gabriela Women’s Party is not an effect of the cancelation of the registration of the Duterte Youth Party-list.

He noted that once the decision on the cancelation becomes final and executory and if no restraining order from the Supreme Court was issued, the poll body may proclaim three additional seats, which may be vacated by Duterte Youth.

In a resolution dated August 29, the Comelec en banc upheld the decision of the Comelec 2nd Division in cancelling the registration of the party-list due to failure to raise substantial evidence in seeking the reversal of the second division’s ruling. /jpv