Comelec eyes to set dates for COC filing per position
TO prevent crowding that usually happens during the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering setting specific dates for the filing of COCs per elective position due to the limitations brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Bartolome Sinocruz Jr., Comelec executive director, disclosed that they are contemplating allocating filing days by position.
“Meaning, there would be certain number of days for single-elective position and there would be several number of days for multi-elective positions,” he said.
The poll-body official explained that single-elective positions are posts which will only have one winner, such as mayors and vice mayors. Meanwhile, multi-elective positions are posts with several winners such as Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlunsod and Sangguniang Bayan.
Sinocruz said this concept will prevent transmission of the COVID-19 due to overcrowding inside the Comelec premises.
He added this is also to limit the number of persons that can file the COC or that can accompany the person filing the COC.
For the 2022 national and local elections, the Comelec scheduled the filing of COCs from October 1 to 8, 2021. So far, the tentative number of elective positions for 2022 is at 18,167, which will still vary due to the number of seats in the House of Representatives (HOR).
Of the said number, there are 325 national posts, including the seats of the president, vice president, 12 senators, 249 legislative district representatives and 62 party-list members of the HOR.
The number also includes 40 party-list seats, 30 district seats and 10 sectoral seats in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Parliament.
The remaining 17,762 are local posts such as seats of governors, vice governors, Sanggunian Panlalawigan members, city and municipal mayors, vice mayor, Sangguniang Panlunsod and Sangguniang Bayan.
Moreover, the Comelec said the last day to file petition for registration of coalition of political parties is on May 31, 2021.
The campaign period for national candidates will run from February 8 to May 7, 2022. The campaign period for local candidates is set from March 25 to May 7, 2022.
