8/24/2015 G.R. No. 179271 and G.R. No.

179295

TodayisMonday,August24,2015

RepublicofthePhilippines
SUPREMECOURT
Manila

ENBANC

G.R.No.179271July8,2009

BARANGAYASSOCIATIONFORNATIONALADVANCEMENTANDTRANSPARENCY(BANAT),Petitioner,
vs.
COMMISSIONONELECTIONS(sittingastheNationalBoardofCanvassers),Respondent.
ARTSBUSINESSANDSCIENCEPROFESSIONALS,Intervenor.
AANGATTAYO,Intervenor.
COALITIONOFASSOCIATIONSOFSENIORCITIZENSINTHEPHILIPPINES,INC.(SENIORCITIZENS),
Intervenor.

xx

G.R.No.179295

BAYANMUNA,ADVOCACYFORTEACHEREMPOWERMENTTHROUGHACTION,COOPERATIONAND
HARMONYTOWARDSEDUCATIONALREFORMS,INC.,andABONO,Petitioners,
vs.
COMMISSIONONELECTIONS,Respondent.

RESOLUTION

CARPIO,J.:

TheHouseofRepresentatives,representedbySpeakerProsperoC.Nograles,filedamotionforleavetointervene
inG.R.Nos.179271and179295.TheHouseofRepresentativesfiledamotionforclarificationininterventionand
enumeratedtheissuesforclarificationasfollows:

A. There are only 219 legislative districts and not 220. Accordingly, the alloted seats for partylist
representationshouldonlybe54andnot55.TheHouseofRepresentativesseeksclarificationonwhichofthe
partylist representatives shall be admitted to the Roll of Members considering that the Court declared as
winners55partylistrepresentatives.

B.TheHouseofRepresentativeswishestobeguidedonwhetheritshouldenrollinitsRollofMembersthe32
named partylist representatives enumerated in Table 3 or only such number of representatives that would
completethe250membermaximumprescribedbyArticleVI,Sec.5(1)oftheConstitution.Intheeventthatit
isorderedtoadmitall32,willthisactnotviolatetheabovecitedConstitutionalprovisionconsideringthatthe
totalmemberswouldnowriseto270.

C. The Court declared as unconstitutional the 2% threshold only in relation to the distribution of additional
seatsasfoundinthesecondclauseofSection11(b)ofR.A.No.7941.Yet,itdistributedfirstseatstopartylist
groups which did not attain the minimum number of votes that will entitle them to one seat. Clarification is,
therefore,soughtwhethertheterm"additionalseats"referto2ndand3rdseatsonlyorallremainingavailable
seats. Corollary thereto, the House of Representatives wishes to be clarified whether there is no more
minimumvoterequirementtoqualifyasapartylistrepresentative.

D. For the guidance of the House of Representatives, clarification is sought as to whether the principle laid
downinVeteransthat"thefillingupoftheallowableseatsforpartylistrepresentativesisnotmandatory,"has
beenabandoned.1

Ontheotherhand,ArmiJaneRoaBorje(RoaBorje),thirdnomineeofCitizensBattleAgainstCorruption(CIBAC),
filedamotionforleaveforpartialreconsiderationinintervention,allegingthat:

The Supreme Court, in ruling on the procedure for distribution of seats, has deprived without due process and in
violation of the equal protection clause, parties with more significant constituencies, such as CIBAC, Gabriela and
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APEC,infavorofpartieswhodidnotevenmeetthe2%threshold.2

FollowingtheCourtsDecisionof21April2009,theCommissiononElections(COMELEC)submittedtothisCourt
on27April2009NationalBoardofCanvassers(NBC)ResolutionNo.09001.NBCResolutionNo.09001updated
thedatausedbythisCourtinitsDecisionof21April2009.Thetotalvotesforpartylistisnow15,723,764following
thecancellationoftheregistrationofpartylistgroupFilipinosforPeace,JusticeandProgressMovement(FPJPM).
Moreover,thetotalnumberoflegislativedistrictsisnow219followingtheannulmentofMuslimMindanaoAutonomy
Act No. 201 creating the province of Shariff Kabunsuan. Thus, the percentage and ranking of the actual winning
partylistgroupsaredifferentfromTable3oftheDecisioninG.R.Nos.179271and179295.

TheNumberofMembersoftheHouseofRepresentatives
inthe2007Elections

Section5(1),ArticleVIofthe1987Constitutionreads:

The House of Representatives shall be composed of not more than two hundred and fifty members, unless
otherwisefixedbylaw,whoshallbeelectedfromlegislativedistrictsapportionedamongtheprovinces,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 partylist system of
registerednational,regional,andsectoralpartiesororganizations.(Emphasissupplied)

The1987ConstitutionfixesthemaximumnumberofmembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesat250.However,the
1987 Constitution expressly allows for an increase in the number of members of the House of Representatives
provided a law is enacted for the purpose. This is clear from the phrase "unless otherwise provided by law" in
Section5(1),ArticleVIofthe1987Constitution.TheLegislaturehastheoptiontochoosewhethertheincreaseinthe
number of members of the House of Representatives is done by piecemeal legislation or by enactment of a law
authorizingageneralincrease.Legislationthatmakespiecemealincreasesofthenumberofdistrictrepresentatives
isnolessvalidthanlegislationthatmakesageneralincrease.

In 1987, there were only 200 legislative districts. Twenty legislative districts were added by piecemeal legislation
aftertheratificationofthe1987Constitution:

RepublicAct YearSigned LegislativeDistrict

intoLaw
1 7160 1992 Biliran
2 7675 1994 MandaluyongCity
3 7854 1994 Makati(2ndDistrict)
4 7878 1995 Apayao
5 7896and7897 1995 Guimaras
6 7926 1995 MuntinlupaCity
7 8470 1998 CompostelaValley
8 8487 1998 TaguigCity(2ndDistrict)
9 8526 1998 ValenzuelaCity(2ndDistrict)
10 9229 2003 Paraaque(2ndDistrict)
11 9230 2003 SanJosedelMonteCity
12 8508and9232 1998and2003 Antipolo(1stDistrict)
13 9232 2003 Antipolo(2ndDistrict)
14 9269 2004 ZamboangaCity(2ndDistrict)
15 9355 2006 DinagatIsland
16 9357 2006 SultanKudarat(2ndDistrict)
17 9360 2006 ZamboangaSibugay(2ndDistrict)
18 9364 2006 MarikinaCity(2ndDistrict)
19 9371 2007 CagayandeOro(2ndDistrict)
20 9387 2007 NavotasCity
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Thus, for purposes of the 2007 elections, there were only 219 district representatives. Navotas City became a
separatedistricton24June2007,morethanamonthafterthe14May2007elections.

TheNumberofPartyListSeats
inthe2007Elections

Section5(2),ArticleVIofthe1987Constitutionreadsinpart:

The partylist representatives shall constitute twenty per centum of the total number of representatives including
thoseunderthepartylist.xxx

The1987Constitutionfixestheratioofpartylistrepresentativestodistrictrepresentatives.Thisratioautomatically
applies whenever the number of district representatives is increased by law. The mathematical formula for
determiningthenumberofseatsavailabletopartylistrepresentativesis

Numberofseatsavailable
tolegislativedistricts Numberofseatsavailableto
x .20 =
partylistrepresentatives
.80

As we stated in our Decision of 21 April 2009, "[t]his formula allows for the corresponding increase in the
number of seats available for partylist representatives whenever a legislative district is created by law."
Thus, for every four district representatives, the 1987 Constitution mandates that there shall be one partylist
representative. There is no need for legislation to create an additional partylist seat whenever four additional
legislative districts are created by law. Section 5(2), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution automatically creates such
additionalpartylistseat.

We use the table below to illustrate the relationship between the number of legislative districts and the number of
partylistseatsforeveryelectionyearafter1987.

Numberof Numberof TotalNumberofMembers

Election
Legislative PartyList oftheHouseof
Year
Districts Seats Representatives

1992 200 50 250

1995 206 51 257

NewDistricts:
Biliran
MandaluyongCity
Makati(2ndDistrict)
Apayao
Guimaras
MuntinlupaCity

1998 209 52 261

NewDistricts:
CompostelaValley
TaguigCity(2nd
District)
ValenzuelaCity
(2ndDistrict)

2001 209 52 261

2004 214 53 267

NewDistricts:
ParaaqueCity(2nd
District)
SanJosedelMonte
City
Antipolo(1st
District)
Antipolo(2nd
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District)
ZamboangaCity
(2ndDistrict)

2007 219 54 273

NewDistricts:
DinagatIsland
SultanKudarat(2nd
District)
Zamboanga
Sibugay(2nd
District)
MarikinaCity(2nd
District)
CagayandeOro
(2ndDistrict)

2010 220 55 275

NewDistrict:
NavotasCity
(assumingno
additionaldistricts
arecreated)

Weseethat,asearlyastheelectionyearof1995,thetotalnumberofmembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesis
alreadybeyondtheinitialmaximumof250membersasfixedinthe1987Constitution.

Any change in the number of legislative districts brings a corresponding change in the number of partylist seats.
However,theincreaseinthenumberofmembersoftheHouseofRepresentativeswentunnoticedastheavailable
seatsforpartylistrepresentativeshaveneverbeenfilledupbefore.AsoftheoralargumentsinG.R.Nos.179271
and179295,therewere220legislativedistricts.Fiftyfivepartylistseatswerethusallocated.However,thenumber
oflegislativedistrictswassubsequentlyreducedto219withourrulingon16July2008declaringvoidthecreationof
the Province of Sharif Kabunsuan.3 Thus, in the 2007 elections, the number of partylist seats available for
distributionshouldbecorrespondinglyreducedfrom55to54.

Thefillingupofallavailablepartylistseatsisnotmandatory.Actualoccupancyofthepartylistseatsdependson
thenumberofparticipantsinthepartylistelection.Ifonlytenpartiesparticipatedinthe2007partylistelection,then,
despite the availability of 54 seats, the maximum possible number of occupied partylist seats would only be 30
because of the threeseat cap. In such a case, the threeseat cap prevents the mandatory allocation of all the 54
availableseats.

UnderSection11(b)ofR.A.No.7941,garnering2%ofthetotalvotescastguaranteesapartyoneseat.This2%
thresholdforthefirstroundofseatallocationdoesnotviolateanyprovisionofthe1987Constitution.Thus,theCourt
upholdsthis2%thresholdfortheguaranteedseatsasavalidexerciseoflegislativepower. 1avvphi1

Inthesecondroundallocationofadditionalseats,thereisnominimumvoterequirementtoobtainapartylistseat
because the Court has struck down the application of the 2% threshold in the allocation of additional seats.
Specifically,theprovisioninSection11(b)ofthePartyListActstatingthat"thosegarneringmorethantwopercent
(2%)ofthevotesshallbeentitledtoadditionalseatsintheproportiontotheirtotalnumberofvotes"cannolongerbe
givenanyeffect.Otherwise,the20percentpartylistseatsinthetotalmembershipoftheHouseofRepresentatives
asprovidedinthe1987Constitutionwillmathematicallybeimpossibletofillup.

However,apartylistorganizationhastoobtainasufficientnumberofvotestogainaseatinthesecondroundof
seatallocation.Whatisdeemedasufficientnumberofvotesisdependentuponthecircumstancesofeachelection,
suchasthenumberofparticipatingparties,thenumberofavailablepartylistseats,andthenumberofpartieswith
guaranteed seats received in the first round of seat allocation. To continue the example above, if only ten parties
participated in the 2007 partylist election and each party received only one thousand votes, then each of the ten
partieswouldreceive10%ofthevotescast.Allareguaranteedoneseat,andarefurtherentitledtoreceivetwomore
seatsinthesecondroundofseatallocation.

Similarly,apresidentialcandidatemaywintheelectionsevenifhereceivesonlyonethousandvotesaslongasall
hisopponentsreceivelessthanonethousandvotes.Awinningpresidentialcandidateonlyneedstoreceivemore
votes than his opponents. The same policy applies in every election to public office, from the presidential to the
barangaylevel.Exceptfortheguaranteedpartylistseat,thereisnominimumvoterequirementbeforeacandidate
inanyelection,foranyelectiveoffice,canbeproclaimedthewinner.Ofcourse,thewinningcandidatemustreceive

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atleastonevote,assuminghehasnoopponentsorallhisopponentsdonotreceiveasinglevote.

Intheabsenceofaminimumvoterequirementinthesecondroundofpartylistseatallocation,thereisnoneedto
belabor the disparity between the votes obtained by the first and last ranked winning parties in the 2007 partylist
elections.Inthesamemanner,noonebelaborsthedisparitybetweenthevotesobtainedbythehighestandlowest
rankedwinnersinthesenatorialelections.However,forthoseinterestedincomparingthevotesreceivedbyparty
listrepresentativesvisavisthevotesreceivedbydistrictrepresentatives,the162,678votescastinfavorofTUCP,
the last party to obtain a partylist seat, is significantly higher than the votes received by 214 of the 218 elected
districtrepresentatives.4

TheActualNumberofPartyListRepresentatives
inthe2007Elections

ThedatausedinTable3ofourDecisionpromulgatedon21April2009wasbasedonthesubmissionsoftheparties.
WeusedthefiguresfromPartyListCanvassReportNo.32,asof6:00p.m.of31August2007.TheNBCissued
NBCReportNo.33on11June2008,updatingthe31August2007report.ThepartiesdidnotfurnishthisCourt
witha copy of NBC Report No. 33. In any case, we stated in the dispositive portion of our Decision that "[t]he
allocationofadditionalseatsunderthePartyListSystemshallbeinaccordancewiththeprocedureusedinTable3
ofthisdecision."PartyListCanvassReportNo.32isnotpartoftheprocedure. 1avvphi1

The computation of the COMELEC in NBC No. 09001 applying the procedure laid down in our Decision requires
correctionforpurposesofaccuracy.Insteadofmultiplyingthepercentageofvotesgarneredoverthetotalvotesfor
partylist by 36, the COMELEC multiplied the percentage by 37. Thirtysix is the proper multiplier as it is the
differencebetween54,thenumberofavailablepartylistseats,and18,thenumberofguaranteedseats.Onlythe
figures in column (C) are affected. The allocation of seats to the winning partylist organizations, however,
remainsthesameasinNBCNo.09001.OurmodificationoftheCOMELECscomputationinNBCNo.09001is
shownbelow:

Votes
Guaranteed Additional
Garneredover (B)plus(C), Applying
Seat Seats
Votes TotalVotesfor inwhole thethree
Rank Party (First (Second
Garnered PartyList,in integers seatcap
Round) Round)
% (D) (E)
(B) (C)
(A)

1 BUHAY 1,169,338 7.44% 1 2.68 3 N.A.

2 BAYAN 979,189 6.23% 1 2.24 3 N.A.

MUNA

3 CIBAC 755,735 4.81% 1 1.73 2 N.A.

4 GABRIELA 621,266 3.95% 1 1.42 2 N.A.

5 APEC 619,733 3.94% 1 1.42 2 N.A.

6 ATeacher 490,853 3.12% 1 1.12 2 N.A.

7 AKBAYAN 466,448 2.97% 1 1.07 2 N.A.

85 ALAGAD 423,165 2.69% 1 1 2 N.A.

9 COOP 409,987 2.61% 1 1 2 N.A.

NATCCO

10 BUTIL 409,168 2.60% 1 1 2 N.A.

11 BATAS 385,956 2.45% 1 1 2 N.A.

12 ARC 374,349 2.38% 1 1 2 N.A.

13 ANAKPAWIS 370,323 2.36% 1 1 2 N.A.

14 AMIN 347,527 2.21% 1 1 2 N.A.

15 ABONO 340,002 2.16% 1 1 2 N.A.

16 YACAP 331,623 2.11% 1 1 2 N.A.

17 AGAP 328,814 2.09% 1 1 2 N.A.

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18 ANWARAY 321,516 2.04% 1 1 2 N.A.

19 UNIMAD 251,804 1.60% 0 1 1 N.A.

20 ABS 235,152 1.50% 0 1 1 N.A.

21 ALIF 229,267 1.46% 0 1 1 N.A.

22 KAKUSA 229,036 1.46% 0 1 1 N.A.

23 KABATAAN 228,700 1.45% 0 1 1 N.A.

24 ABAAKO 219,363 1.40% 0 1 1 N.A.

25 SENIOR 213,095 1.36% 0 1 1 N.A.

CITIZENS

26 AT 200,030 1.27% 0 1 1 N.A.

27 VFP 196,358 1.25% 0 1 1 N.A.

28 ANAD 188,573 1.20% 0 1 1 N.A.

29 BANAT 177,068 1.13% 0 1 1 N.A.

30 ANG 170,594 1.08% 0 1 1 N.A.

KASANGGA

31 BANTAY 169,869 1.08% 0 1 1 N.A.

32 ABAKADA 166,897 1.06% 0 1 1 N.A.

33 1UTAK 165,012 1.05% 0 1 1 N.A.

34 TUCP 162,678 1.03% 0 1 1 N.A.

35 COCOFED 156,007 0.99% 0 0 0 N.A.

Total 18 54

Bagong Alyansang Tagapagtaguyod ng Adhikaing Sambayanan (BATAS) and Ang Laban ng Indiginong Filipino
(ALIF)bothhavependingcasesbeforetheCOMELEC.TheCOMELECcorrectlydeferredtheproclamationofboth
BATAS and ALIF as the outcome of their cases may affect the final composition of partylist representatives. The
computationandallocationofseatsmaystillbemodifiedintheeventthattheCOMELECdecidesagainstBATAS
and/orALIF.

ToaddressRoaBorjesmotionforpartialreconsiderationininterventionandforpurposesofcomputingtheresultsin
futurepartylistelections,wereiteratethatinthesecondstepofthesecondroundofseatallocation,thepreference
inthedistributionofseatsshouldbeinaccordancewiththehigherpercentageandhigherrank,withoutlimitingthe
distribution

to parties receiving twopercent of the votes.6 To limit the distribution of seats to the twopercenters would
mathematicallypreventthefillingupofalltheavailablepartylistseats.

Inthetableabove,CIBACcannotclaimathirdseatfromtheseatallocatedtoTUCP,thelastrankedpartyallocated
with a seat. CIBAC's 2.81% (from the percentage of 4.81% less the 2% for its guaranteed seat) has a lower
fractionalseatvalueaftertheallocationofitssecondseatcomparedtoTUCP's1.03%.CIBAC'sfractionalseatafter
receiving two seats is only 0.03 compared to TUCP's 0.38 fractional seat. Multiplying CIBAC's 2.81% by 37, the
additionalseatsfordistributioninthesecondround,gives1.03seat,leaving0.03fractionalseat.MultiplyingTUCP's
1.03%by37givesafractionalseatof0.38,higherthanCIBAC'sfractionalseatof0.03.Thefractionalseatsbecome
materialonlyinthesecondstepofthesecondroundofseatallocationtodeterminetherankingofparties.Thus,for
purposesofthesecondstepinthesecondroundofseatallocation,7TUCPhasahigherrankthanCIBAC.

RoaBorjespositionstemsfromtheperceivedneedforabsoluteproportionalityintheallocationofpartylistseats.
However,the1987Constitutiondoesnotrequireabsoluteproportionalityintheallocationofpartylistseats.Section
5(1),ArticleVIofthe1987Constitutionprovides:

(1) The House of Representatives shall be composed of not more than two hundred and fifty members, unless
otherwisefixedbylaw,whoshallbeelectedfromlegislativedistrictsapportionedamongtheprovinces,cities,
andtheMetropolitanManilaareainaccordancewiththenumberoftheirrespectiveinhabitants,andonthe

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basisofauniformandprogressiveratio,andthosewho,asprovidedbylaw,shallbeelectedthroughapartylist
systemofregisterednational,regional,andsectoralpartiesandorganizations.(Boldfacinganditalicizationsupplied)

The phrase "legislative districts apportioned among the provinces, cities, and the Metropolitan Manila area in
accordancewiththenumberoftheirrespectiveinhabitants,andonthebasisofauniformandprogressiveratio"in
Section 5(1) of Article VI requires that legislative districts shall be apportioned according to proportional
representation.However,thisprincipleofproportionalrepresentationappliesonlytolegislativedistricts,nottothe
partylistsystem.TheallocationofseatsunderthepartylistsystemisgovernedbythelastphraseofSection5(1),
whichstatesthatthepartylistrepresentativesshallbe"thosewho,asprovidedbylaw,shallbeelectedthrough
apartylistsystem,"givingtheLegislaturewidediscretioninformulatingtheallocationofpartylistseats.Clearly,
thereisnoconstitutionalrequirementforabsoluteproportionalrepresentationintheallocationofpartylistseatsin
theHouseofRepresentatives.

Section 2, on Declaration of Policy, of R.A. No. 7941 provides that the "State shall promote proportional
representation in the election of representatives to the House of Representatives through a partylist system of
registered national, regional and sectoral parties or organizations or coalitions thereof x x x." However, this
proportionalrepresentationinSection2isqualifiedbySection11(b)8ofthesamelawwhichmandatesathreeseat
cap,whichisintendedtobaranysinglepartylistorganizationfromdominatingthepartylistsystem.Section11(b)
alsoqualifiesthisproportionalrepresentationbyimposingatwopercentcutoffforthoseentitledtotheguaranteed
seats.ThesestatutoryqualificationsarevalidbecausetheydonotviolatetheConstitution,whichdoesnotrequire
absoluteproportionalrepresentationforthepartylistsystem.

Tosummarize,therearefourparametersinaPhilippinestylepartylistelectionsystem:

1. Twenty percent of the total number of the membership of the House of Representatives is the maximum
number of seats available to partylist organizations, such that there is automatically one partylist seat for
everyfourexistinglegislativedistricts.

2.Garneringtwopercentofthetotalvotescastinthepartylistelectionsguaranteesapartylistorganization
one seat. The guaranteed seats shall be distributed in a first round of seat allocation to parties receiving at
leasttwopercentofthetotalpartylistvotes.

3. The additional seats, that is, the remaining seats after allocation of the guaranteed seats, shall be
distributedtothepartylistorganizationsincludingthosethatreceivedlessthantwopercentofthetotalvotes.
Thecontinuedoperationofthetwopercentthresholdasitappliestotheallocationoftheadditionalseatsis
now unconstitutional because this threshold mathematically and physically prevents the filling up of the
available partylist seats. The additional seats shall be distributed to the parties in a second round of seat
allocationaccordingtothetwostepprocedurelaiddownintheDecisionof21April2009asclarifiedinthis
Resolution.

4.Thethreeseatcapisconstitutional.ThethreeseatcapisintendedbytheLegislaturetopreventanyparty
fromdominatingthepartylistsystem.ThereisnoviolationoftheConstitutionbecausethe1987Constitution
doesnotrequireabsoluteproportionalityforthepartylistsystem.Thewellsettledruleisthatcourtswillnot
questionthewisdomoftheLegislatureaslongasitisnotviolativeoftheConstitution.

ThesefourparametersallowthemathematicalandpracticalfulfillmentoftheConstitutionalprovisionthatpartylist
representativesshallcomprisetwentypercentofthemembersoftheHouseofRepresentatives.Atthesametime,
thesefourparametersupholdasmuchaspossiblethePartyListAct,strikingdownonlythatprovisionoftheParty
ListActthatcouldnotbereconciledanymorewiththe1987Constitution.

WHEREFORE,theCourtsDecisionof21April2009inthepresentcaseisclarifiedaccordingly.

SOORDERED.

ANTONIOT.CARPIO
AssociateJustice

WECONCUR:

REYNATOS.PUNO
ChiefJustice

LEONARDOA.QUISUMBING CONSUELOYNARESSANTIAGO
AssociateJustice AssociateJustice

RENATOC.CORONA CONCHITACARPIOMORALES

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AssociateJustice AssociateJustice

MINITAV.CHICONAZARIO PRESBITEROJ.VELASCO,JR.
AssociateJustice AssociateJustice

ANTONIOEDUARDOB.NACHURA ARTUROD.BRION
AssociateJustice AssociateJustice

TERESITAJ.LEONARDODECASTRO DIOSDADOM.PERALTA
AssociateJustice AssociateJustice

LUCASP.BERSAMIN
AssociateJustice

CERTIFICATION

PursuanttoSection13,ArticleVIIIoftheConstitution,IcertifythattheconclusionsintheaboveResolutionhadbeen
reachedinconsultationbeforethecasewasassignedtothewriteroftheopinionoftheCourt.

REYNATOS.PUNO
ChiefJustice

Footnotes

1UrgentMotionforClarificationinIntervention,pp.617.

2MotionforPartialReconsiderationinIntervention,p.11.

3BaiSandraS.A.Semav.CommissiononElections,etal.,G.R.Nos.177597&178628,16July2008,558
SCRA700.

4Rollo(G.R.No.179271),pp.11481163.

5Theproductofthepercentageandtheremainingavailableseatsofallpartiesrankedeightandbelowisless
thanone.

6InourDecisionof21April2009,westated:"[W]edonotlimitourallocationofadditionalseatsinTable3
below to the twopercenters. The percentage of votes garnered by each partylist candidate is arrived at by
dividing the number of votes garnered by each party by 15,950,900 [now 15,723,764], the total number of
votes cast for partylist candidates. There are two steps in the second round of seat allocation. First, the
percentageismultipliedbytheremainingavailableseats,38[now37],whichisthedifferencebetweenthe55
[now 54] maximum seats reserved under the PartyList System and the 17 guaranteed seats of the two
percenters. The whole integer of the product of the percentage and of the remaining available seats
correspondstoapartysshareintheremainingavailableseats.Second,weassignonepartylistseattoeach
of the parties next in rank until all available seats are completely distributed. We distributed all of the
remaining 38 [now 37] seats in the second round of seat allocation. Finally, we apply the threeseat cap to
determinethenumberofseatseachqualifiedpartylistcandidateisentitled."
7Id.

8SECTION11.NumberofPartyListRepresentatives.Thepartylistrepresentativesshallconstitutetwenty
percentum(20%)ofthetotalnumberofthemembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesincludingthoseunder
thepartylist.

xxx

Indeterminingtheallocationofseatsforthesecondvote,thefollowingprocedureshallbeobserved:

(a)Theparties,organizations,andcoalitionsshallberankedfromthehighesttothelowestbasedon
thenumberofvotestheygarneredduringtheelections.

(b) The parties, organizations, and coalitions receiving at least two percent (2%) of the total
votes cast for the partylist system shall be entitled to one seat each: Provided, That those
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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
coalitionshallbeentitledtonotmorethanthree(3)seats.(Emphasissupplied)

TheLawphilProjectArellanoLawFoundation

SEPARATEOPINION

NACHURA,J.:

Thiswillclarifymypositionintheseconsolidatedcases.

IconcurredintheApril24,2009ponenciaoftheHonorableJusticeAntonioT.Carpiosubjecttomysubmissionthat
Section11,1RepublicActNo.79412orthePartyListSystemAct,insofarasitrequiresatwopercent(2%)threshold
votetoentitleaparty,sectoralorganizationorcoalitiontoaseatintheHouseofRepresentativesunderthepartylist
system, is unconstitutional. As explained in my Separate Opinion, the 2% minimum vote requirement poses an
insurmountablebarriertothefullimplementationofSection5(2),ArticleVIofthePhilippineConstitution.

Myadvocacy,however,doesnotextendtothecompletedisregardofathresholdvote.Iexpressedfullagreement
with[nowChief]JusticeReynatoS.Punowho,inhisSeparateConcurringOpinioninVeteransFederationPartyv.
CommissiononElections,3validatedtheneedforaminimumvoterequirement,inorder

1.toavaoidasituationwherethecandidatewilljustusethepartylistsystemasafallbackposition

2. to discourage nuisance candidates or parties, who are not ready and whose chances are very low, from
participatingintheelections

3.toavoidthereserveseatsystemfromopeningupthesystem

4.toencouragethemarginalizedsectorstoorganize,workhardandearntheirseatswithinthesystem

5.toenablesectoralrepresentativestorisetothesamemajestyasthatoftheelectiverepresentativesinthe
legislative body, rather than owing to some degree their seats in the legislative body either to an outright
constitutionalgiftortoanappointmentbythePresidentofthePhilippines

6.ifnothresholdisimposed,thiswillactuallyproliferatepoliticalpartygroupsandthosewhohavenotreally
beengivenbythepeoplesufficientbasisforthemtorepresenttheirconstituentsand,inturn,theywillbeable
togettotheParliamentthroughthebackdoorunderthenameofthepartylistsystemand

7.toensurethatonlythosewithamoreorlesssubstantialfollowingcanberepresented.4

Thus,weproposedthat,untilCongressshallhaveeffectedanacceptableamendmenttoSection11,R.A.7941,we
should abide by the sensible standard of "proportional representation" and adopt a gradually regressive threshold
voterequirement,inverselyproportionaltotheincreaseinthenumberofpartylistseats.Expresseddifferently,we
donotproposethatSection11oraparagraphthereofbescrappedforbeingunconstitutional.Itisonlytheratioof
2% that we find as unconstitutionalthe steady increase in the partylist seat allotment as it keeps pace with the
creation of additional legislative districts, and the foreseeable growth of partylist groups, the fixed 2% vote
requirement/ratioisnolongerviable.Itdoesnotadequatelyrespondtotheinevitablechangesthatcomewithtime
and it is, in fact, inconsistent with the Constitution, because it prevents the fundamental law from ever being fully
operative.

Obviously, the ponencia did not fully accept our submission. It declared as unconstitutional the 2% threshold vote
onlywithrespecttothesecondroundofallocatingpartylistseats(ontheadditionalseats)itcontinuedtoapplythe
2%minimumvoterequirementforentitlementtoaseatunderthefirstroundofallocation(ontheguaranteedseats).
This,clearly,wasnottheintentofourmodifiedconcurrencetotheponencia,asexpressedinourSeparateOpinion.

Asexpressedinthatopinion,theformulawhichmustbeadoptedscrappingonlythe2%ratiobutstilladoptinga
thresholdvoterequirement,isasfollows:

100%
(Totalnumberofvotescastforpartylist) = 1.8518%

54partylistseats(asclarified)

Clearly,theminimumvoterequirementwillgraduallylessenasthenumberofpartylistseatsincreases.Thus,ina
scenarioinwhichthereare100partylistseats,thethresholdvoteiscomputedasfollows:
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100%
(Totalnumberofvotescastforpartylist) = 1%

100partylistseats

This is the more logical and equitable formula. It would judiciously respond to the inevitable changes in the
compositionoftheHouseofRepresentativesitwouldopenopportunitiesforthebroadestpeoplesrepresentationin
theHouseofRepresentativesandmoreimportantly,itwouldnotviolatetheConstitution.Moreover,thethreshold
voterequirement,asenactedbyCongressandasvalidatedbythisCourtinVeterans,ismaintained.

Additionally,theformulawillnotbediscriminatoryasitwillnotonlyapplyinthefirstroundofallocationofseats,but
willalsobeapplicableinthesecondround.WhileIdonotwishtobelaborthepoint,theerroneousapplicationbythe
ponencia of a threshold vote (2%) in the first round of allocation of seats, and its disregard in the second round,
might cause an unintended transgression of the equal protection clause, which requires that all persons or things
similarlysituatedshouldbetreatedalike,bothastotherightsconferredandresponsibilitiesimposed.5

Thus,asIhaveexpressedbefore,withrespecttothefixedthresholdvoteof2%(onlytheratio)inSection11ofR.A.
No. 7941, I join the Court in declaring it unconstitutional, since all enactments inconsistent with the Constitution
shouldbeinvalidated.

ANTONIOEDUARDOB.NACHURA
AssociateJustice

Footnotes

1Theprovisionreadsinfull:

Section11.NumberofPartyListRepresentatives.Thepartylistrepresentativesshallconstitutetwenty
percentum(20%)ofthetotalnumberofthemembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesincludingthose
underthepartylist.

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
shallnotbeentitledtoparticipateinthepartylistsystem.

Indeterminingtheallocationofseatsforthesecondvote,thefollowingprocedureshallbeobserved:

(a)Theparties,organizations,andcoalitionsshallberankedfromthehighesttothelowestbasedon
thenumberofvotestheygarneredduringtheelections.

(b)Theparties,organizations,andcoalitionsreceivingatleasttwopercent(2%)ofthetotalvotescast
for the partylist system shall be entitled to one seat each: Provided, That those garnering more than
twopercent(2%)ofthevotesshallbeentitledtoadditionalseatsinproportiontotheirtotalnumberof
votes: Provided, finally, That each party, organization, or coalition shall be entitled to not more than
three(3)seats.[Emphasissupplied]

2 Entitled "AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ELECTION OF PARTYLIST REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH
THEPARTYLISTSYSTEM,ANDAPPROPRIATINGFUNDSTHEREFOR"approvedonMarch3,1995.

3G.R.No.136781,October6,2000342SCRA244.

4Id.at290.

5PhilippineJudgesAssociationv.Prado,supranote11,at711712.

TheLawphilProjectArellanoLawFoundation

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