More aspirants expected to file COCs on last day of filing —Comelec

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting more bets vying for senatorial posts to troop to Manila Hotel on Tuesday to file their certificates of candidacy for Eleksyon 2025.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia told Unang Balita that at least 23 party-lists and 135 senatoriables may lodge their COCs at the Manila Hotel Tent City on Tuesday, October 8.

This is lower than the number of aspirants who filed their COCs on the final day of the filing period in 2022, he added.

"Siguro dahil sa coalition at alliances, 'yung iba't ibang party-lists sa ating bansa ay minarapat na huwag na mag-file o mag-field ng ibang kandidato kung hindi sama-sama na lang," Garcia said.

(Because of coalition and alliances, some party-lists decided not to field their own candidates and join forces instead.)

The period for the filing of COCs started on October 1 and will end on October 8, 2024. The Comelec will receive the certificates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Applications of aspirants who are in the venue before the cut-off time at the end of the day will still be accepted and processed.

Meanwhile, Garcia reiterated the Comelec is eyeing to resolve all nuisance cases by November 30. The final list of candidates will be published by December 12.

"Sa mga hahabol ngayong araw na ito, of course nandito pa kami hanggang 5 p.m.," said Garcia.

(For those who are going to file today, of course we are here until 5 p.m.)

The Comelec chief reminded the aspirants to have all documents ready.

"Sana bago kayo pumunta sa filing sites, sana may mautusan na kayo na dalhin agad ang COCs, ma-review namin baka kulang, baka may dapat pang idagdag and therefore, hindi 'yung kung kailan kayo papunta tsaka dala-dala ang COCs. Sadyang hahaba ang pila. Marami po ang pipila, marami ang magfa-file ngayong araw na to," he added.

(We hope that before you go to filing sites, you can send someone to bring your COCs beforehand so we can review them if there is something lacking and needs to be added. That would be better than you bringing your COCs yourself. That will just cause a long line. Many will line up and file their COCs today.)

The Comelec earlier said that a total of 18,280 seats covering 14 posts in 254 legislative districts will be up for grabs in Eleksyon 2025. —KG, GMA Integrated News