Dwayne Pelagio

The Philippines has started another election season with the filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) on Oct. 1 with 18,240 elective positions up for the taking in the 2025 national and local elections.

Photo Courtesy of COMELEC/The Manila Times.

In an interview on Sept. 30, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said that it’s ‘all systems go’ for the first day of filing.

Garcia appealed to the aspirants to comply with the rules to ensure a smooth conduct of the COC filing.

"Sana naman panatilihin na lang nating maayos ang filing ng candidacy natin, diyan po natin makikita kapag handa ang bawat isa na sumunod pagka kayo'y nahalal na, dito pa lang sa filing ng COC,” the Comelec chairman said in the interview.

He added that this is their request from the Comelec and reminded the COC filers to complete the necessary requirements before they go to their respective venues.

"Filled up na properly yung mismong form, alam niyo may mga naranasan kasi dati hindi yung proper form yung finillup-an,” Garcia said, citing the encountered problems with incorrect COC forms.

He also stated in the interview that the Comelec will be strict in the number of people allowed with the aspirant in the filing.

“Magiging mahigpit ang Comelec. Apat lang bawat isang kandidato ang puwedeng isama kahit yung party-list dapat apat lamang ang kasama nung mismong filer, yung mismong authorized na mag-file ng COC.”

The Comelec chief explained the rules in the Comelec filing is a warning to those who want to join in, and reminded that the space is limited in the area where the filing will take place, whether it’s national or local level.

He also added that COCs must be sworn to before a notary public or any official authorized to administer the oath and Comelec employees are not authorized to administer oaths.

‘18,000 elective positions’

For the upcoming 2025 midterm elections, a total 18,280 positions are available
and these are the following:

Senators, 12; Party-List Representatives, 63; Member, House of Representatives, 254; Governor, 82; Vice-Governor, 82; Member, Sangguniang Panlalawigan, 800; City Mayor, 149; City Vice-Mayor, 149; Member, Sangguniang Panlungsod, 1,690; Municipal Mayor, 1,493; Municipal Vice-Mayor, 1,493; Member, Sangguniang Bayan, 11,948; BARMM Members of the Parliament, 25; BARMM Party Representatives, 40.

With Sulu’s exclusion, the Comelec released a resolution amending the calendar of events in relation to the BARMM elections.

Under Resolution 11051, the COC for District Representative in the BARMM Parliament shall be filed on Nov. 4, 2024 (Monday) to Nov. 9, 2024 (Saturday), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO) through the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor (OPES).