USWAG ILONGGO PARTY-LIST MAKES IT TO CONGRESS

IT MAY be a “new kid on the block” but Uswag Ilonggo party-list made a strong showing in the May 9 elections.

The regional party from Western Visayas got 687,725 votes or 1.90 percent of the national vote (with 98 percent of the votes already counted).

Because of this, Uswag Ilonggo is ensured of one seat in the House of Representatives. Exactly how are party-list seats won? Parties that won at least two percent of the national vote are given one seat, with additional seats determined by a formula dependent on the number of votes garnered. But no party wins more than three seats.

If the number of sectoral representatives does not reach 20 percent of the total number of representatives in the House, parties that haven’t won seats but garnered enough votes to place them among the top sectoral parties are given seats until all 57 seats allotted for the party-list system are filled.

While Uswag Ilonggo fell short of the two-percent vote requirement, it is among the top sectoral parties. It is No. 8 in ranking, thus guaranteeing itself one seat in the House.

As first nominee of Uswag Ilonggo, civic leader, businessman and philanthropist Jojo Ang will be the congressman of this Western Visayas-based party-list. He will be the voice of the Ilonggos in Congress.

Congratulations!