They have until March to submit names of nominees
 
MANILA - Sixteen party-list organizations on Friday went to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to manifest their intention to participate in the 2010 elections, although 2 of them have yet to be accredited by the poll body.
 
Of the 16, half are incumbent, with 10 nominees sitting in Congress.
 
Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay), who topped the 2007 elections, occupies 3 seats in the House. Five others hold 2 seats each--Anak Minadanao (Amin), Citizens' Battle Against Corruption (Cibac), An Waray, Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. (AGAP), and Abono.
 
Two of the incumbent groups were to claim their seats only last April, after the Supreme Court ruling that abolished the 2% threshold required for party-list groups to have a seat in the House. 1-UTAK and ABAKADA were entitled to 1 seat each.
 
Others who expressed their intention to participate in the 2010 polls are Biyayang Bukid, ABA Ilonggo, Bukid, Ako Bicol (AKB), Alliance of Baranggay Concerns (ABC), Abante Bicol Oragon (ABO Inc.), and Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE).
 
Two groups that are still awaiting Comelec's decision on their accreditation nevertheless went to the poll body to manifest their intention to participate. The Comelec accepted the manifestation by the anti-drug group Ako Ayoko sa Bawal Droga (AKO) and the Alliance of Retired Active Workers (1-ARAW) on the condition that if they are denied accreditation, they would withraw their manifestation.
 
The poll body has 256 party-list applications to process, but it has yet to come out with a complete list of accredited and rejected groups.
 
Under Comelec Resolution 8691, the filing of manifestation is open until midnight of December 2. List of nominees of the accredited party-list should be submitted until March 26, 2010. (Newsbreak)