MANILA — Election season officially started in the country, as the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) kicked off on Friday.
The earliest to lodge a COC was Deputy Speaker and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda who showed up at 8 a.m. at the Harbor Garden Tent at Sofitel hotel in Pasay City.
Senator Manny Pacquiao and Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza came in an hour later to formalize their bids for president and vice president in next year’s polls. The tandem was running under the alliance of PDP-Laban and PROMDI.
Senator Risa Hontiveros as well as Sorsogon Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero have likewise made their Senate return official.
Living up to its label was AGAP Partylist, which was the first partylist to file a COC on Friday. “Agap” is a Filipino word that connotes promptness.
The individuals and partylist groups that lodged their COC on the first day of filing were:
* President – Manny Pcquiao, Dave Aguila, Dr. Jose Montemayor, Ley Ordenes, Edmundo Rubi, Lurencio, Jun Yulaga
* Vice President – Lito Atienza, Rochelle David, Alexander Lague
* Senator – Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Lutgardo Barbo, Abner Afuang, Bay Melanie Esmael, Normal Marquez, Bertito del Mundo, Romeo Plasquita, Samuel Sanchez, Baldomero Falcone, Phil Delos Reyes, Ziegfred “Tapzlord” Giron
* Partylist – Agap Partylist, Kabayan Partylist, An-Waray PL, Diwa PL, Pilipinas para sa Pinoy, Alona, Democratic Workers Assoc., Toda, Cancer PL, People’s Volunteer Against Illegal Drugs, Patriotic Coalition of Marginalized Nationals INC (1-PACMAN), ACT-CIS, MARINO, Ako Tanod, Ang Probinsyano, PBA, COOP-NATCCO
The Commission on Elections said the filing of COCs for the 2022 national elections will run from October 1-8. (©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
