In 3 Cebu cities: COC filing extension had little impact

CEBU, Philippines — The one-day extension in the filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections did not seem to have a significant effect, at least in three major local government units in Cebu.

Cebu City election officer Anna Gujilde said only 30 candidates filed their COC yesterday.

Yesterday, 19 candidates filed – 11 for barangay posts and eight for SK posts for the city’s North District. For the South District, 11 candidates filed – two for barangay posts and nine for SK posts.

Overall, 985 filed COCs for barangay posts and 840 filed COCs for SK posts in the North District. In the south, 867 filed COCs for barangay posts and 678 for SK posts.

“Siguro, sa mga areas na daghan jud ang ni-file na wala na accommodate, dako ug impact ang extension day pero diri sa Cebu, aware man sila kanus-a ang deadline… dili kaayo dako ug effect nato kay murag wala man ta nagkulang sa mga candidate ug contested man sila every barangay,” Gujilde said.

The deadline was extended for a day to address the concern raised by the National Youth Commission (NYC) that the number of candidates that filed their COC last Friday could not fill the over 300,000 available SK positions.  Numbers were even fewer in neighboring Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

In Mandaue yesterday, only two filed COCs for barangay posts while only four filed their COCs for SK posts. Up until Friday, 591 COCs were filed for barangay posts while 409 were filed for SK posts.

In Lapu-Lapu, only five each filed COCs for barangay and SK posts yesterday. Prior to this, 118 COCs were filed for barangay posts and 310 were filed for SK posts.

What happens if no one runs for a position, in the SK, for example? Gujilde the mayor can appoint someone for the post.

“Kung walay ni-run, mu-coordinate jud ang mayor ana. Mag-appoint siya. Kay supposed to be, kung mabakante ang position kay si Mayor may mu-appoint sa recommendations sa Sangguniang Barangay ug sa Sangguniang Kabataan,” she said.

Provincial election officer, lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, said petitions for disqualification can be filed beginning today.

"Within five days after the last day of filing sa COC, pwede ka-file og disqualification before the Comelec office,” he said.

The provincial Comelec has yet to consolidate all COCs from different local government units but as of Friday, at least 37,298 were filed across Cebu province. Of this number, 2,455 are running for barangay captain; 19,211 are running for barangay council member; 2,490 are running for SK chairman; and 13, 142 are running for SK member.  — Mae Clydyl L. Avila, Le Phyllis F. Antojado and Ivory Pauline Escarro, CNU Intern  (FREEMAN)