The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday released a resolution identifying the dominant majority and dominant minority parties for the midterm elections.

Lakas-CMD was named the dominant majority party, while Nacionalista was declared as the dominant minority party.

Nine other major political parties qualified for accreditation, namely, Akbayan Citizens Action Party, Aksyon Demokratiko, Liberal Party of the Philippines, Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan, Partido Demoktratikong Reporma, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, and United Nationalist Alliance.

The political parties were ranked according to their history, the number of years they have been in existence since the implementation of the 1987 Constitution, and based on incumbent elected officials in the elective positions, such as president, vice president, senators, members of the House of Representatives, governor, vice governor, mayor, vice mayor, provincial board members, and city or municipal councilors.

The dominant party, dominant minority party, and six major political parties will be each entitled to one official poll watcher in every election precinct and canvassing center.

“We always have a dominant majority party and a dominant minority party every election. They will be prioritized in deploying poll watchers,” Comelec chairperson George Garcia explained.