COC FILING. Former Iloilo City mayor Joe III Espinosa files his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the congressional seat of the lone district of Iloilo City on Oct. 8, 2021. Iloilo City Comelec Elections Assistant Jonathan Sayno on Saturday (Oct. 9, 2021) said the eight-day filing of COCs went smoothly amid the restrictions that needed to be observed due to the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Joe III Espinosa)
ILOILO CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) here is reviewing the filed certificates of candidacy (COCs), particularly the contenders' names that will appear on the ballot if they follow the guideline of not exceeding 30 characters.
In an interview on Saturday, City Comelec Elections Assistant Jonathan Sayno said candidates have until November 8 to correct misspelled names or change how their names would appear on the ballot.
"They just need to write a letter to the Comelec for that purpose," Sayno said. “By October 29, the list of candidates will be posted at the Comelec website but this is not yet official and subject to correction. That is why it is important that candidates see the list because after November 15, Comelec will already finalize the official ballot.”
He said the filing of COCs in this highly urbanized city went smoothly and without any incident, particularly the breach of safety protocols imposed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis.
“In general, it was peaceful here in Iloilo and systematic despite that we are in the middle of pandemic and we have protocols and restrictions to follow,” Sayno said.
He added that there was never a time when their office, located at Lopez Jaena St. in La Paz, got congested because the 38 candidates running for various posts filed their COCs at different times or during hours with few people.
However, some candidates who arrived at the Comelec office with no COC forms caused delays. They were mostly independent and political newbies.
Of the 38 candidates who filed their COCs during the eight-day period, four are running for the lone congressional post of Iloilo City, three for mayor, two for vice mayor, and 29 for the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council). (PNA)
