After being delayed for almost a year due to the pandemic, MNL48 has finally concluded their Third General Election over the weekend, crowning Cavite lass Abby Trinidad as the winner. The announcement which was done during last Saturday’s “It’s Showtime Live”, was the third in a series of announcements done over a three-week period.
The MNL48 General Election is an annual event where fans get to vote for their favourite members who they think should be part of the Top 48. It is loosely based on AKB48’s formerly annual Senbatsu Sousenkyo, which allows the fans to choose the lineup for the next single and its B-sides. The main difference being is that MNL48 has used the annual event to determine actual membership in the group where in AKB48, only the next single’s positions determined by the ranks are at play.
The official members will be grouped according to their rankings based from the voting result. This year, MNL48 will be composed by Ranks 1 to 36 and divided into three groups. The Senbatsu (Top 1 to 16), Under Girls (Top 17 to 32), will feature in the next single and its B-side while Rank 33 to 36 will act as reserves for Undergirls and/or Senbatsu in case of unavailability or absence of a group members. Top 37 to 48 would be Third Generation’s Kenkyuusei or trainees.
Here is the full list and rankings of Third General Election’s Senbatsu, Undergirls, and Kenkyuusei:
This year was the turn of Abby, who ranked 2nd during the First General Election, and 3rd during the Second General Election, to be crowned “Third Generation Center”. MNL48 Abby is both happy and emotional to be Third Generation’s Center.
“I’m very happy, I’m so happy! I’m emotional right now because I can’t believe I’m the 3rd Generation’s Center! I am excited to be the next Center for the 7th single! I am very thankful for the support of my fans and I’m going to do my very best to make all of my supporters proud of me.”
Meanwhile, this generation’s Kami 7, is composed of MNL48 Abby, Sheki, Jamie, Ruth, Ella, Jan and Andi. The Kami 7 is a term inherited from AKB48 which refers to the Top 7 girls in a given election.
The ranking results of the Third General Election ranking system were based from public voting which happened from March 15, 2020 until November 30, 2020 through MNL48 official website and Fan Club app by using a voting ticket that can be availed by purchasing any selected MNL48 merchandise and MNL48 6th Single Album.
According to Hallohallo Entertainment Inc. (HHE), the result was checked and verified by both their officials and representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) “to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the election data.”
We are hopeful for what’s in store for MNL48 especially now that the group announced its Third Generation Members and sincerely hope they have many upcoming activities and projects.
