The filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the 2022 National and Local Elections is set on October 1 until October 8, 2021, from Sunday to Saturday at 8:00-5:00 pm.
What to know about the filing of COC?
Under the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution No. 10717, no person can run for the position of President, Vice-President, Senator, Congressman or any Provincial, City, or Municipal position, or as a Member of the Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) unless such aspirant accomplishes and files a sworn COC in the form prescribed by the Commission for the position aspired.
No person shall be eligible to run for more than one office on the same election date.
How to file the COC?
Based on the guidelines released by the COMELEC, any aspirant who wants to run for a government position is required to submit the following:
- Accomplish five (5) copies of the COC using the form prescribed by the COMELEC for the position aspired for:
a.) Get the COC form from any COMELEC offices
b.) Fill out the form completely, both the front and back pages according to the instructions.
c.) Have your COC sworn to or notarized before a notary public or any official authorized to administer oath.
d.) Affix a passport-size photograph taken within the last six (6) months.
e.) Attach your Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA), if applicable.
f.) Attach a ₱30.00 documentary stamp to one of the original copies of the COC. Write the documentary stamp tax number of the remaining four (4) copies of the COC.
g.) Attached is a bio-data and program of government if desired.
- File the 5 copies of your COC, together with the CONA, if applicable, with the correct COMELEC office:
a.) Personally; or
b.) Through an authorized representative, with a sworn and signed Authority to File the COC.
Where to file the COC?
According to COMELEC Resolution No.10717, depending on the elective positions aspired for, the COC shall be filed simultaneously with the CONA, if applicable, in 5 copies with the following offices:
- For the positions of President, Vice-President, Senator, and Party-List Representative, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Law Department or in any other venue as may be designated by the COMELEC En Banc.
- For the position of Members of the House Representatives for legislative districts in the National Capital Region (NCR), the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the Regional Election Director, NCR.
- For the position of Members for the House of Representatives for legislative districts in provinces, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor concerned.
- For the position of Members for the House of Representatives for legislative districts in cities outside the NCR, which comprise one or more legislative districts, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the City Election Officer concerned designated for the purpose by the Regional Election Director.
- For the positions of Governor, Vice-Governor, Member, Sangguniang Panlalawigan, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor.
- For the positions of Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in cities with more than one Election Officer, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the City Election Officer concerned designated for the purpose by the Regional Election Director.
- For the positions of Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod in cities with only one legislative district, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the City Election Officer.
- For the positions of Municipal Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Sangguniang Bayan, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the Municipal Election Officer.
- For the position of Members of the Parliament of the BARMM, the aspirant shall file his/her COC to the Office of the Regional Election Director (Cotabato City, Marawi City, and Zamboanga City).
Important Reminders from the COMELEC
An aspirant who files a COC for more than one office shall not be eligible for any of them. However, the aspirant may file with the proper office a sworn Statement of Cancellation to maintain the desired office and cancel the COC for the other office/s.
Any COC filed with the incorrect office shall be considered as not filed.
No COC filed by Mail, electronic mail, telegram, or facsimile shall be accepted.
A COC not in the form prescribed by the COMELEC for the position aspired for, an incomplete COC or those filed beyond the prescribed period shall not be accepted.
The venue for filing of COC may be transferred if the designated venue is not suitable based on the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Guidelines for COVID-19 health and safety protocols.