QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that a total of 43,033 candidates have submitted their certificates of candidacy (COCs) and certificates of nomination – certificates of acceptance of nomination (CON-CANs) during the filing period from October 1 to 8.
In a press briefing, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia revealed that 33,652, or 78.20 percent, of the candidates for the 2025 midterm elections are male, while 9,381, representing 21 percent, are female.
Garcia noted that 183 individuals have filed COCs for the Senate, a figure that surpasses the 153 candidates from the 2019 midterm elections and the 176 aspirants in the 2022 polls. Additionally, party-list groups submitted 190 CON-CANs, with 155 of the 160 organizations that expressed intent to participate completing their submissions.
“This means that only 155 party-list groups will be included on the official ballots,” Garcia said.
He mentioned that several party-list organizations, including SMILE, ACT AS ONE, KASAMA, MARINO, and STL, did not submit their CON-CANs.
In the previous 2022 elections, a total of 270 groups filed their CON-CANs.
Garcia indicated that the final count of all national and local candidates will be available in December.
He also reported that, aside from a shooting incident in Sharif Aguak, Maguindanao, and a case of COC snatching in Negros Occidental, the filing period was largely peaceful.
In light of the violence in Mindanao, which injured several individuals, Garcia ordered the establishment of a satellite registration site outside the province to facilitate the filing of COCs by local candidates. (AVS/PIA-NCR)
