Zarate vows to help allies in 19th Congress to push advocacies, fight revisionism

Zarate: Bayan Muna failed to secure a seat in Congress for first time in 20 years

MANILA — Outgoing Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said Thursday he will help his allies who secured seats in the incoming 19th Congress to push for their advocacies in the Makabayan bloc and fight revisionism as President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assumes power.

"Kasama pa rin tayo diyan, kasama ng iba pa nating kasamahan, na tutulong sa ating tatlong kinatawan diyan sa loob ng Kongreso... para maisulong pa 'yung mga adbokasiya natin, 'yung mga dala-dala nating panukalang batas," Zarate, whose party-list group failed to win a seat in the upcoming Congress, told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

(We're still involved. We will help our three ally representatives in Congress to push for our advocacies and proposed laws.)

• Smaller Makabayan bloc in House to remain as opposition in 19th Congress

"But more importantly, para malabanan natin 'yung mga nagtutulak nung mga revisionist at denialist narratives na aasahan natin sa pagpasok ng next administration," he added.

(But more importantly, to fight those who peddle revisionist and denialist narratives that we expect in the next administration.)

• Comelec: Winning party-lists to be proclaimed Thursday

Zarate noted that "for the first time after 20 years," his party-list group Bayan Muna failed to get a seat in Congress, saying they fell short of votes.

But his allies in the Makabayan bloc — Gabriela and Kabataan party-lists — were able to win the race and will be proclaimed Thursday.

• Comelec says won't proclaim party-lists with pending cases; Gabriela, Kabataan cry foul
• Comelec to proclaim Gabriela, Kabataan despite pending cases

ACT Teachers party-list, also a member of the Makabayan bloc, won a seat as well.

• EXPLAINER: The math behind the party-list system

--TeleRadyo, May 26, 2022