ILOILO – The first three days of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the May 12, 2025 elections in Western Visayas have been generally peaceful, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 6 director, Atty. Dennis Ausan.
Ausan assessed the situation based on feedback from the five provinces under Comelec Region 6’s jurisdiction — Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, and Aklan — confirming that the filing process has been calm and orderly so far.
“In fact, we have not yet seen an influx of candidates filing for any position. However, we expect that more will submit their COCs in the coming days”” Ausan said on Thursday morning, October 3, during his visit and inspection of the COC filing venue at Robinsons Place in Iloilo City.
Ausan also reported that the Comelec’s crowd management protocols have been running smoothly, with a maximum of three companions allowed per candidate inside the COC filing venue to provide support.
He expressed satisfaction with the number of aspirants heeding Comelec’s call to have their COC forms checked at their respective Office of the Election Officer (OEO) before submission. This step helps candidates avoid having to return due to incomplete or incorrect forms.
As for the anticipated influx of aspirants in the coming days, Ausan assured that Comelec personnel are ready to accommodate them. Some offices, including the Comelec-Iloilo Provincial Level, have transferred to larger venues, such as Festive Walk Mall in Mandurriao district, to ensure an orderly filing process.
Ausan urged those who have not yet had their COC forms checked at the OEO to do so as soon as possible to avoid any issues during submission. He also reminded aspirants to fill out all necessary sections correctly, ensuring the right position is indicated, attaching a passport-sized photo, a documentary stamp, having the form notarized, and signing it.
The COC form can be downloaded from the official Comelec website (https://comelec.gov.ph) or obtained from OEOs. Ausan noted that in previous elections, many candidates encountered problems due to incomplete or incorrect information, missing documentary stamps, or forms that were not notarized.
Candidates are required to produce at least eight copies of their COC, with personal information correctly filled out in applicable sections and “not applicable” written in sections that do not apply. The form must also be notarized and include a passport-sized photo and a documentary stamp.
For candidates belonging to a registered political party or coalition, a Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) must also be attached to the COC.
Originally, Comelec required only five copies of the COC form. However, since some lawyers retain two copies for notarization purposes, Comelec now advises candidates to prepare eight copies.
All OEOs are accepting COC forms from October 1 to October 8, including Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Positions up for election include Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Councilor), Vice Mayor, Mayor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Board Member), Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Councilor), House of Representatives, Vice Governor, Governor, Senator, and Party-list representative./PN
