Ako Bicol

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Ako Bicol Political Party
Chairman Elizaldy Co
Founded 2006
Headquarters Legazpi, Albay
Ideology Bicolano ethnic interests
Colors Yellow and red
Seats in the House of Representatives
2 / 292
Website
http://akobicol.com/
Politics of Philippines
Political parties
Elections

Ako Bicol Political Party (AKB) is a political party in the Philippines participating in the party-list elections in the Philippines. It represents the Bicol Region and the Bicolano people. It won a plurality in the 2010 party-list election, with 5.20% of the vote, earning it three seats.

However, its candidates were prevented from outright claiming their seats in the House of Representatives after the party and its nominees were sued for not complying with the requirements in party-list system law. They eventually were able to assume their seats in Congress. However, in 2012, they were barred from running for the 2013 election, although they were allowed to complete their terms.

Before the 2010 election

AKB started as a non-government organization under the name "SOS Bicol," which provided rescue aid to residents in the Bicol region after Typhoon Reming (Durian) hit; it also sponsored livelihood programs for residents affected by the 2009 eruption of the Mayon Volcano.[1]

2010 campaign

In a May 2010 Social Weather Stations opinion poll, AKB topped the survey, with 5.64% of the vote, the equivalent of two seats, beating seasoned party-list election contenders Buhay Hayaan Yumabong and Bayan Muna. However, AKB has been accused by the Kontra Daya (Against Cheating) group of being a creation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to expand her base of allies in the House of Representatives, a charge that AKB denied.[2]

AKB emerged as the surprising topnotcher in the 2010 election, one of only two parties (the other being 1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy) above the threshold not to have previously sat in Congress.[1] However, in a Bicol Mail column by Luis Ruben General, AKB would duplicate the work of the district representatives, implying that the "Bicolanos are now marginalized and distinctly disadvantaged."[1] However, a disqualification case was filed against the party, claiming that the party had violated the party-list system law since the party was backed by the Co family, which owns construction companies, malls and resorts in Bicol, and therefore "cannot represent the marginalized and underrepresented sector,” according to the disqualification petition.[3]

On May 31, 2010, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) declared several groups to have won seats under the party-list system, but the proclamations of AKB's seats (and those of several other parties) were deferred due to the pending disqualification cases against them.[4] On July 28, it was announced that the COMELEC had dismissed all petitions against AKB, saying that party-list system law allows for regional political parties that do not represent a particular sector of society.[5] The original petition was dismissed on June 29, but the original petitioners did not file a motion for reconsideration until July 26, after deadline for filing motions has lapsed. This allows the commission to proclaim Ako Bicol's three nominees as congressmen.[6]

2013 campaign

On October 10, 2012, COMELEC announced that AKB (along with 12 other parties) was disqualified from running in the 2013 party-list election by a unanimous 6–0 vote of commission members. The commission cited the party's failure to represent a specific sector of society, a requirement for parties fielding candidates under the sectoral representation (party list) system.[7] AKB Representative Alfredo Garbin Jr. expressed surprise at the decision.[8] On November 13, 2012, the Supreme Court granted a petition filed by AKB to forestall COMELEC acting on its decision.[9]

2016 campaign

Electoral performance

Election Votes  % Seats
2010[10] 1,058,691 5.20% 3
2013 763,103 2.67% 2

Results in the Bicol Region

AKB was the party-list with the most number of votes in the Bicol Region; in most regions, the party with the second-highest number of votes won with less than 10% of the vote, except in Masbate, where the Alliance of Bicolnon Party won 14.80% of the vote.

Election Albay Camarines Norte Camarines Sur Catanduanes Masbate Sorsogon Total Bicol Total Philippines
2010 342,784 (69.85%) 361,397 (62.02%) 41,825 (40.38%) 65,495 (32.81%) 151,121 (56.56%) 962,622 (46.07%) 1,058,691 (5.20%)
  • Note: Percentages in the provincial and national level are from valid votes; in the regional level, they are for all votes cast. Camarines Norte provincial results are unavailable, but they are included in the national tally.

Representatives to Congress

Period 1st Representative 2nd Representative 3rd Representative
15th Congress
2010–2013		 Christopher Co Rodel Batocabe Alfredo Garbin, Jr.
16th Congress
2013–2016		 Christopher Co Rodel Batocabe N/A

References

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