The Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially began accepting certificates of candidacy (COCs) today, October 1, 2024, signaling the start of the election period for the May 2025 national and local elections. The filing period will run until October 8, 2024, as political aspirants prepare for over 18,000 positions across the country.
Positions Up for Election
A total of 18,280 positions are up for grabs in the 2025 elections, including:
- 12 Senators
- 63 Party-list Representatives
- 254 Members of the House of Representatives
- 82 Governors and 82 Vice-Governors
- 149 City Mayors and 149 City Vice-Mayors
- 1,493 Municipal Mayors and 1,493 Municipal Vice-Mayors
- Seats in local councils, including 800 for Sangguniang Panlalawigan and 11,948 for Sangguniang Bayan
- 25 BARMM Parliament members and 40 BARMM Party Representatives
Filing Locations for COCs
Candidates for national positions, such as senators and party-list representatives, should file their COCs at the Manila Hotel’s Tent City. Local candidates, including those running for mayor, vice mayor, and local legislative positions, must file at their respective city or municipal Comelec offices. Additionally, members of the House of Representatives in NCR should file at the Comelec regional office in San Juan.
Key Rules for Filing COCs
Following Comelec’s filing rules is essential. The commission has outlined key guidelines to ensure a smooth candidacy filing process:
- File at the correct office: Filing at the wrong office will result in the COC being considered invalid.
- Companion limits: Candidates for national positions may bring four companions, while those filing for local positions are allowed only three.
- Substitution policy: After October 8, substitutions will only be allowed in cases of death or disqualification. The substitute must either share the family name or be from the same political party as the original candidate.
As the race begins, COMELEC encourages candidates to follow these protocols strictly to facilitate an orderly entry into the electoral process. The official campaign period for nation position begins on Feb. 11, 2025, while the campaign for local positions starts on March 28, 2025.