The Partylist System

A party-list system, a form of proportional representation in which voters choose among parties rather than among candidates, was introduced by the 1987 Constitution ostensibly to create a healthy democracy by increasing representation of so-called “marginalized and under-represented” sectors.

Twenty percent of the total number of seats in the House of Representatives are reserved for party-list groups. Every 2 percent of total party-list votes cast gets a seat in the House, with each party allowed a maximum of three seats. Votes are awarded to the party-list groups in proportion to the votes they receive.

Filipino voters were first introduced to the party-list system in 1998. Voters have two votes for their congressional representatives. The first elects a district representative. The second elects a party-list representative.