Comelec anticipates influx of candidates in last 2 days of COC filing

UPDATES. Chairperson George Erwin Garcia (3rd from left) and other Commission on Elections officials face the media at The Manila Hotel Tent City on Sunday (Oct. 6, 2024). Garcia said they anticipate more individual and party-list candidates during the final two days, with filing to be allowed even past 5 p.m. as long as they are already in the venue before that hour. (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

By Ferdinand Patinio, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting an influx of candidates during the last two days of the filing period on Monday and Tuesday.

Filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) and certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance (CON-CAN) will be accepted even after the 5 p.m. final office hour provided they are already in the venue.

“Yung natitira medyo madami dami pa rin ‘yan. Kaya naman ina-anticipate pa din natin ‘yung pagdagsa nila sa dalawang araw natitira sa filing ng COC (The rest is still quite a lot. That’s why we are still anticipating an influx in the last two days of COC filing),” Comelec chairperson Geroge Garcia said during a press briefing on Sunday.

Meanwhile, eight senator-wannabes filed their COCs on Sunday, bringing to 78 the total number of senatorial aspirants since the filing period began Oct. 1.

Among the eight who filed their COC were administration bets ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo and reelectionist Senator Pia Cayetano and singer-lawyer Jimmy Bondoc of PDP-Laban.

Cayetano arrived at The Manila Hotel Tent City on a bicycle to highlight her health and environment advocacies, accompanied by other cyclist-supporters.

Also, four party-list groups filed their CON-CAN, bringing to 87 the total number of organizations eyeing at least one seat in Congress.