Comelec to hold COC filing for national positions at Sofitel tent

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will hold the filing of the Certificate of Candidacies (COC) for politicians seeking national posts in a tent at a hotel in Pasay City to ensure proper health protocols are observed.

This was disclosed by Comelec executive director Bartolome Sinocruz Jr. during the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (JCOC) hearing Wednesday.

“The filing of COC for national positions will be at the Sofitel in one of its tents. The doors will be opened, there will be ventilation and then that’s really a big stage to be divided into venue for filing for president, vice president, senators and party-lists,” he said.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the filing of COCs was held at Comelec’s headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

The Comelec decided to move to a “bigger venue” to ensure that the candidates’ health, as well as the employees of the commission, is protected, poll commissioner Marlon Casquejo said.

“Ang nangayayari dito in reality for national positions parang piyesta ang nangyayari dito,” Casquejo said, adding that the entire Intramuros is filled with people during the period of the filing of COCs.

[In reality, what happens here during the filing of COCs for national positions is like a fiesta.]

Casquejo confirmed that Eleksyon 2022 candidates must present a negative COVID-19 test before filing their COCs.

There will be a stand-by antigen testing area for candidates who are not able to present a COVID-19 test result. This will be conducted and will be paid for by the Comelec, Casquejo said.

This, however, is not applicable to local candidates.

“Insofar as the local positions are concerned, pag nasa [election officer’s] office naman, ‘di ganoo karami ang nagpa-file ng COC for mayor position, councilor [if they are in the election officer’s office, the number of candidates filing their COCs for mayor or councilor is just small compared to the national positions],” he said.

“So having the bigger venue would suffice without requiring the candidates to have an antigen test,” he added.

If a candidate experiences COVID-19 symptoms, Casquejo said, they can file through their representatives.

The period of filing of COCs will run from October 1 to 8.

The national and local polls will be held on May 9, 2022. — BM, GMA News