4Ps, FPJ Panday Bayanihan air side amid Comelec ban on ayuda, teleserye partylist names

The first nominees of Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino (4Ps) party-list and FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list defended their groups’ names amid the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) plan to ban terms used for ayuda (financial assistance) and titles of television series in the next elections.

In an interview at the sidelines of the Comelec’s proclamation of party-list winners in the 2025 polls, Representative-elect Brian Llamanzares, first nominee of FPJ Panday Bayanihan said it is up to the poll commission to decide on the matter.

But he explained that the FPJ in their partylist group’s name stands for food, progress, and justice.

“Para sa akin naman, it's up to Comelec what they decide to do. Ang importante lang para sa akin yung mga party-list continue to represent the marginalized and different groups,” Llamanzares said. 

(For us, it is up to Comelec what they decide to do. What is important is that party-lists represent marginalized and different groups.)

“Kami po sa FPJ Panday Bayanihan, kahit FPJ po ang pangalan natin, pro-poor partylist po tayo, at syempre food, progress, and justice pa rin ang adbokasiya namin. Sana madagdagan po ang partylist na magrepresent ng marginalized,” he added.

(We at FPJ Panday Bayanihan, even if our name is FPJ, we are a pro-poor part-list and of course, food, progress, and justice remain our advocacy. We hope party-lists represent the marginalized.)

FPJ is the initials of famous Filipino action star Fernando Poe Jr. who starred in several television series including “Panday.”

The late action star is the adoptive father of outgoing Senator Grace Poe — the mother of Llamanzares.

The FPJ Panday Bayanihan ranked 15th in the recently-concluded 2025 polls.

Other party-list groups that used teleserye names are Batang Quiapo and Agimat.

In the same tune, 4Ps party-list first nominee Marcelino Libanan, who was reelected for another term, also defended their group’s name.

“May mga party-list na gumamit ng ayuda, hindi naman nanalo di ba? Alam niyo yung 4Ps isang common na term sa marketing di ba… ‘Yan ang ginaya ng DSWD,” he said. 

(There are party-lists that use financial assistance, pero they did not win. The 4Ps is a common term used in marketing. That is what DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) copied.)

The party-list’s name is identical to the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program  (4Ps) — a conditional cash grant for poor Filipino families.

The 4Ps got two seats in the House of Representatives in the 2025 national and local elections after ranking fourth in the race with over 1.4 million votes.

Apart from 4Ps, other party-list groups that used ayuda terms are TUPAD party-list.

Last week, Comelec Chairman George Garcia announced that the poll body will no longer allow party-list organizations to use names related to popular TV shows and government assistance or "ayuda" for the next elections.

“Hindi na kami papayag sa susunod na accreditation process na gagamit sila ng mga sikat na telenovela na pangalan. Hindi kami papayag na gagamit sila ng mga pangalan ng ayuda. Hindi na po tama yun,” said poll chief George Erwin Garcia. 

(We would no longer allow partylists to use popular TV shows and assistance as their names in the next accreditation. That is not proper.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News