Manila: Third nominee, lawyer Jan Franz Chan, has been officially proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as representative of Ako Bicol party-list at the poll body’s main office in Intramuros, Manila. Members of the Comelec en banc, including Chairperson George Garcia and Commissioners Noli Pipo, Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal, Rey Bulay, and Ernesto Maceda Jr., presided over the proclamation of the newest member of the House of Representatives.

According to Philippines News Agency, Chan replaced Zaldy Co, who resigned in September after being linked to the flood control mess. Chan will join the group’s second nominee, Rep. Alfred Garbin, in the lower house. The party-list earned two seats in the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.

Based on the party-list law, when the seat of a representative becomes vacant, the next in the list of nominees will automatically fill the vacancy. The list of nominees is submitted to the Comelec during the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC) and certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN) before the holding of an election.