Lakas-CMD replaces PDP-Laban as dominant majority party

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The Villar-led Nacionalista Party remains the dominant minority party, based on Comelec's latest resolution

MANILA, Philippines – The Romualdez-led Lakas Christian-Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) has replaced the Duterte-led Partido ng Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) as the dominant majority party, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) determined in its latest resolution.

Meanwhile, the Comelec named Nacionalista Party (NP) as the dominant minority party, a title it has held since the 2019 elections.

The dominant majority and minority party, named in Comelec Resolution 11119, are prioritized on certain privileges on election day, such as access to the first printed copies of election returns and certificates of canvass.

The change in the dominant majority party implies the weakening of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s hold in national politics. Duterte is chairman of PDP-Laban, and ran under its banner in the 2016 elections.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is president of Lakas-CMD. Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from Lakas-CMD in May 2023 after a spat involving top party leaders Romualdez and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Vice President’s close ally.

Vice President Duterte was the chairperson of Lakas-CMD before she resigned. It foreshadowed her political break-up with Marcos, her standard-bearer in 2022, which followed through in its demise a year later.

The wealthy Villar family leads the dominant minority party NP. NP was formerly Duterte-allied, but in August 2024, NP inked an alliance with Marcos’ Partido Federal ng Pilpinas (PFP).

Other major political parties

Eleven national political parties filed petitions for accreditation as dominant majority party, dominant minority party, or major national party, namely:

• Akbayan Citizens Action Party (Akbayan)
• Aksyon Demokratiko (Aksyon)
• Lakas-CMD
• Liberal Party of the Philippines (LP)
• NP
• Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)
• National United Party (NUP)
• PDP-Laban
• Partido Demokratikong Reporma (PDR)
• PFP
• United Nationalist Alliance (UNA)

The criteria the Comelec used to determine and accredit the dominant parties include party records of existence, number of incumbent elective officials, identifiable political organizations and strengths as evidenced by organized chapters, ability to field a slate of candidates from the municipal levels to the Senate, number of women candidates, and other analogous circumstances that may determine their strengths.

After Lakas-CMD and NP ranked first and second, PFP followed in third, and PDP-Laban came fourth.

The once-ruling LP, last carried to the presidency by the late Benigno Aquino III, ranked fifth.

The nine other national political parties that did not get the dominant titles were still accredited. – Rappler.com