ILOILO City – Thousands of aspirants packed Commission of Elections (Comelec) offices across Western Visayas yesterday, the first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
“Pinaka-common nga feedback nga nag-abot sa aton throughout sa six provinces of the region amo man lang ang volume. Kay first day, excited ang tanan,” said Atty. Dennis Ausan, Comelec Region 6 director.
He added: “May panimad-on ang iban nga ti first day, dapat maka-file para the chance of winning is greater. Anyway, we anticipated tanan nga sitwasyon.”
Concerns about COC forms
Aside from the long queue, another common feedback Ausan received was the submission of incomplete requirements.
Some COC forms lacked the ID picture attachment and signature, or boxes or fields were not filled out. Others were not notarized or the COC forms submitted had insufficient copies.
Ausan urged aspirants to visit the Comelec website, https://comelec.gov.ph/, for the list of requirements before heading to COC filing sites.
“Magkadto anay sa election officers para mag-check sang requirements and forms nga gamiton para ma-avoid naton ang delay kon mag-submit kita sang COC,” he added.
Cut-off time
In Iloilo City, the COC filing sites at Cinemas 5 and 6 of Robinsons Place (main) on Ledesma Street, City Proper and the designated holding area – the mall car park – overflowed with filers.
“Diri sa syudad kay ti 180 barangays, medyo makita naton ang volume sang aspirants nga gusto mag-participate sa elections,” said Ausan.
“Tungod sang volume, may mga adjustments para by tomorrow until Sept. 2, mangin efficient pa gid ang aton nga filing sang COC,” added Ausan.
As early as 10 a.m. yesterday, only those with markings estimated to be around 1,400 aspirants were catered to.
While more or less 200 others were told to return the following day.
“Overwhelming ang turnout on the first day. Makita ninyo man nga madamo kita sang filers or aspirants nga nagkadto,” said Jonathan Sayno, Iloilo City assistant election officer, in an interview with Panay News.
To avoid a similar situation, Sayno coordinated with the Iloilo City Government for additional chairs at the venue after the aspirants complained of fatigue and discomfort.
One of the aspirants, a barangay kagawad from Lapuz district, said he only took the holiday’s opportunity of free time to file his COC.
“Wala kaso ah, mapila lang ako. Ma-file gid ako subong kay indi ako masako kay holiday,” he said.
Barangay Captain Caroline Selorio of Barangay Sto. Domingo, Arevalo district, a second-term aspirant, tried to be patient and hoped the situation would improve in the following days.
“Mahulat kami kay siempre kaina pa kami di,” said Selorio.
Among those who could not make it in the cut-off was barangay kagawad Nelson Fernandez, a second termer from Barangay Sto. Domingo.
“Ang kutob sang wala tatak indi makasulod, ti wala kami tatak bisan 7 a.m. pa kami diri. Wala sila system,” Fernandez said.
He also suggested putting up designated spaces per district in the waiting area.
“Para kon tawagon nila per district, kundi diretso na lang,” he added.
The Iloilo City Police Office and mall security personnel allowed aspirants to enter the mall at exactly 8 a.m.
Cinema 5 was designated for aspirants from Jaro, Arevalo, La Paz, and Lapuz districts, and Cinema 6 for City Proper, Molo and Mandurriao districts./PN
