44 groups likely to get seats in Congress: ABS-CBN/Pulse Asia exit poll (AKBAYAN - among them)

44 groups likely to get seats in Congress: ABS-CBN/Pulse Asia exit poll

By Lilita Balane, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak

Posted at 05/12/2010 5:33 PM | Updated as of 05/12/2010 5:33 PM

MANILA, Philippines—Of the 187 organizations that participated in the party-list election, 44 groups are likely to get seats in the House of Representatives, the results of an ABS-CBN/Pulse Asia exit poll showed on Wednesday.

Applying the seat allocation formula set by the Supreme Court in its April 2009 decision, these groups will be able to send 57 nominees to the 15th Congress.

The exit poll, conducted by Pulse Asia for ABS-CBN, interviewed 7,296 voters and has an error of margin of +/-1.8.

AkoBicol (AKB) and Senior Citizens led the ABS-CBN/Pulse Asia nationwide survey on party-list preference, receiving 5.11% and 4.54% of the votes, respectively. Each of them may get 3 seats.

Based on the SC formula, the 57 party-list seats in the House would be granted to groups which will obtain 2% of the votes. The rest will be allocated to the leading groups and to the next in rank until all the seats are distributed. A party-list group may occupy a maximum of 3 seats.

AKB's nominees are lawyers Christopher Co, Rodel Batocabe, and Alfredo Garbin Jr.

In the last election, Senior Citizens occupied only 1 seat in the House, sending its representative and first nominee Godofredo Arquiza. He might return to Congress with 2 more nominees, businessman David Kho and Francisco Datol Jr.

Nine incumbent groups might have the chance to bring 2 representatives each: Akbayan (3.72%), Abono (2.99%), Gabriela (3.03%), COOP-NATTCO (2.67%), Butil (2.01%), and AnWaray (2.11%) might retain their seats in the House.

Two other incumbent groups, Bayan Muna (3.03%) and Buhay (4.07%), that currently occupy 3 seats each, might only get 2 seats each this time.

Newly-accredited 1-CARE, which might get 2 seats, has nominated Michael Angelo Rivera and electric cooperative official Salvador Cabaluna III.

One seat for 33 groups

Thirty-three party-list groups might receive 1 seat each. They are:

* ABAMIN
* LPGMA
* A Teacher
* CIBAC
* KAKUSA

* ABC
* YACAP
* APEC
* AAMBIS-OWA
* ANAKPAWIS

* ALIF
* ANG KASANGGA
* AGAP
* KABATAAN
* AGBIAG

* ANAD
* AVE
* TUCP
* BH
* AMIN

* AMANA
* KALINGA
* AG
* ABS
* ACT Teachers

* ANAK
* 1 ANG PAMILYA
* AGHAM
* ALAGAD
* ALAY BUHAY

* PBA
* APELA
* 1-UTAK

Fourteen of these groups are currently represented in Congress.

Rep. Mikey again?

Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, son of President Arrroyo, might secure his place in the House. He is the first nominee of Ang Galing Pinoy or AG, a group representing security guards.

Other prominent nominees who might seat in Congress are former energy secretary Angelo Reyes (1-UTAK, ) Quezon City District 1 councilor Bernadette Herrera-Dy (BH), and former Cagayan congressman Patricio Antonio (AGBIAG).

APELA, on the other hand, may not be able to send its representative, former Bureau of Jail Management and Penology chief Arturo Alit. The Commission on Elections refused to accredit APELA for the party list, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court only after the ballots that included the group's name had been printed. (abs-cbnNews.com/Newsbreak)