By BusinessWorld,Cedtyclea

Copyright bworldonline

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday formally proclaimed Gabriela Women’s Party as among the successful party-list groups in the 2025 national and local elections.

Sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, the Comelec en banc proclaimed Gabriela’s first nominee and former Kabataan representative Sarah Jane I. Elago, who will assume the group’s seat as the 64th member of the 20th congress.

In an interview, Ms. Elago vowed to continue Gabriela’s progressive legislative agenda, which focuses on the welfare and rights of women, children, and the LGBTQ+ community.

She also cited their push for the P1,200 national living wage, along with measures to lower the prices of basic goods and services.

“We are entering [Congress] in a time when the corrupt, the crocodiles, and the abusive are in disarray. With Gabriela Women’s Party proclaimed, the corrupt should be worried,” Ms. Elago said in Filipino.

She also challenges the government to abolish pork barrel funds and end the system of congressional insertions “because these are what politicians fight over, and it is the people who suffer when billions go to waste.”

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia earlier announced that Gabriela secured its position following a resolution that increased the number of party-list seats from 63 to 64 to meet the constitutional mandate that 20% of the House be reserved for party-list representatives.

Its position was reinforced after the poll body dismissed challenges from other top-vote party-lists, including Duterte Youth, whose appeals to overturn accreditation rulings were rejected.

Gabriela ranked 55th among party-list contenders in this year’s midterm elections, receiving a total of 256,811 votes. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking