THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accredited the Padayon Pilipino's party-list arm called Ako Padayon Pilipino.
In a seven-page resolution, the poll body granted the registration and accreditation of Ako Padayon Pilipino as a sectoral party under the party-list system.
Jun Pacamalan, national political consultant of the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (Philreca), said Ako Padayon Pilipino aims to represent electric consumers and ensure their rights and welfare are protected.
The mover of Ako Padayon Pilipino are electric cooperatives in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga. At present, it has around 150,000 member consumers from the different electric cooperatives.
Pacamalan said the group wants to amend the anti-consumer and anti-people provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) once they get a slot in the House of Representatives.
"Gusto nato ma-ensure nga ang mga electric cooperatives nga sila ang nanag-iya dili ma-take over sa mga Oligarchs," Pacamalan said.
"Sa una, dili pa interesado ang mga private corporations kay lagyo ug dili moginansya. Karon nga nadumala na pag-ayo ang mga rural electric coop unya daghan na consumer, gusto na dayon i-take over sa mga private corporation," he added.
Pacamalan also said the party-list representatives would also fight in Congress all moves that seek to raise prices of electricity and the likes.
Pacamalan said Governor Yevgeny Emano, vice chairman of Padayon Pilipino Party, has vowed to support the advocacy of the leaders of various electric cooperatives, thus the birth of the Ako Padayon Pilipino party-list.
Among their advocacies are reliable supply and reasonable price of electricity.
"The leaders of electric coops had a very good discussion with Governor Bambi last year. They need allies in local government nga molaban sa interest sa rural electric coop mao tong nag-commit si Governor Bambi nga motabang sa ilang advocacy," Pacamalan said.