DESPITE the denial of its petition for accreditation, teachers group Ang Guro Party-list on Thursday filed a certificate of nomination as well as the individual CONA of its nominees.

The group named its secretary general Juanito Dona Jr. as its first nominee. Dona is a grade school teacher at St. Scholastica’s College.

Other nominees include Raquel Castillo of civil society organizations in education sector; Dr. Emelando Arevalo, a retired teacher and education supervisor from Caloocan City; Arsenio Jallorina, retired school principal from Manila and former president of Manila Public School Teachers Association; Addie Unsi from education advocacy groups in BARMM; and Alvin Calamba, a long-time volunteer for the party and a husband to a public school teacher in Las Piñas City.

On June 25, the Comelec’s Second Division dismissed the petition filed by the party saying it failed to prove that majority of its members belong to the sector it wishes to represent.

The group filed the motion for reconsideration on July 6 which was elevated to the en banc last July 21. However, the en banc has yet to act on the motion prompting the group to file its candidacy today.

Dona said they expect the Comelec to act favorably on their motion at least before the scheduled printing of ballots for the 2022 elections.

“There are various concerns that haunt the education sector, particularly the teachers and employees, and thus teachers and educators should be well represented in Congress. This has been our belief since we first participated in party-list elections in year 2013. Unfortunately, we were not given the chance to sit in the House despite a clear electoral victory in 2013 and 2016 elections,” Dona said.

In previous elections, Ating Guro Party-list was represented by Benjo Basas, a public school classroom teacher in Caloocan City and a known teacher-leader.