At least 500K candidates expected to contest 18K posts in 2025

Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting at least half a million aspirants during the 2025 midterm elections and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary polls. Comelec chair George Garcia said Sunday that over 18,000 national and local posts will be up for grabs during the twin elections on May 12. 'With 18,271 positions to be filled up, easily we can have 500,000 aspirants in the 2025 national and local elections and Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections,' he said in a Viber message to reporters on Sunday. For national positions, to be contested are 12 senatorial seats, 63 for party-lists and 254 for congressional district representatives. As for the local offices, 82 seats will be available each for governors and vice governors, and 792 for provincial board members. For city positions, there will be 149 seats each for mayors and vice mayors, and 1,682 seats for councilors. At the municipal level, the available positions are 1,493 seats each for mayors and v ice mayors, and 11,948 seats for councilors. For the BARMM polls, 80 seats will be available in the Parliament, comprised of 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. The filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) will be on Oct. 1 to 8. Meanwhile, Comelec set the deadline to request for a transfer of venue for the filing of COC on Sept. 20. In a resolution, the poll body said the Election Officer, Provincial Election Supervisor or the Regional Election Director (RED) of the National Capital Region, as receiving officers of COCs, may file the request on any of the following grounds: security concerns of Comelec employees and workers; insufficient or limited office space; and such other grounds as may be approved by the Commission. The Comelec noted that the venue where the filing of COCs may be transferred shall be located in a public building or if none is available, in a private building with restrictions. As for those who will oppose the transfer of ve nue, the complaint may be filed within three days from the approval of the transfer request before the RED or Comelec Chair. Source: Philippines News agency