Starting today, October 1, 2024, the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for those campaigning for the national and local elections on May 12, 2025, begins.

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The filing of candidacy for the mid-term elections will be until October 8, 2024.

Over 18, 000 positions will be contested in the elections, including 12 senatorial seats, 254 congressional seats across legislative districts, 63 party-list spots, 149 mayoral posts, among others.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Erwin Garcia stated that those filing their COC need to have it notarized for it to be valid for the elections. Additionally, the COC must be filed by the candidate themselves or their authorized representative. For party-lists, the COC must be filed by the chairperson, president, secretary-general, or any authorized representative.

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A candidate can only be accompanied by three people when filing their COC, but those running for senatorial seats can bring four.

Substitution will be allowed in the event the original candidate withdraws, but this will only be possible until the last day of COC filing.

Changes in candidacy will only be allowed after October 8, 2024, if the original candidate passes away or gets disqualified. However, substitutions will not be permitted for independent candidates.

(File photos from Taguig PIO)