The Makabayan bloc of progressive lawmakers welcomed the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc decision on Friday that canceled the registration of the Duterte Youth party-list, describing it as a significant triumph for genuine youth representation in the Philippines.

House Assistant Minority Leader and Kabataan Representative Renee Co remarked, "This ruling is a victory for authentic youth representation in our country." She further criticized Duterte Youth, stating, "The Duterte Youth is not a true representative of the youth but rather a fabricated organization intended to bolster the political machinery of the Duterte family."

Co emphasized that Duterte Youth was never created to promote the real interests of Filipino youth. Instead, she accused it of being "a tool for red-tagging and targeting progressive youth groups while pretending to be a legitimate sectoral representative."

Supporting this stance, House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio urged Comelec to swiftly proclaim qualified party-list organizations, notably the Gabriela Women's Party, which he said has been unfairly deprived of its rightful congressional seat.

Tinio stated, "True sectoral representatives have long awaited this kind of decision. Filipino women need authentic representation in Congress." He highlighted the consequences of underrepresentation, pointing out that it has contributed to inadequate measures addressing gender-based violence, reproductive health issues, and economic discrimination affecting women.

Comelec Chair George Garcia disclosed that the en banc voted 5-1-1 to uphold the Second Division's earlier ruling, which annulled the accreditation of the Duterte Youth party-list.

This move marks a notable shift in the political landscape regarding party-list representation and sets the stage for more inclusive representation in the House of Representatives.