MANILA, Philippines — The total number of aspiring candidates in the 2023 barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections (BSKE) has hit almost one million on the fifth day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Friday.
According to the Comelec in its partial report of COCs received as of 10:00 a.m., Sept. 1, a total of 944,325 aspiring candidates have filed their COCs nationwide.
Of the total, 70,925 filed for the position of barangay chair while 518,383 filed for the position of sangguniang barangay member.
Meanwhile, 58,914 filed their COCs for SK chairmanship, while 296,103 filed as SK members.
The Comelec said that there are only 672,016 seats open for the 2023 BSKE: 42,001 each for barangay chair and SK chair, and 294,007 each for sangguniang barangay and SK memberships.
The poll body will accept COCs only until Saturday, September 2, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
However, the deadline has been extended in Metro Manila and Abra to September 4, and Ilocos Norte to September 3, due to the suspension of government work and continuous rain brought by the typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon.
READ: Hanna develops into typhoon, says Pagasa
The campaign period will be from October 19 to 28, while the elections are set to be held on October 30 after multiple postponements.
With reports from Jezvette Kyelle Mapagdalita, INQUIRER.net trainee
RELATED STORIES
Comelec: Over 273,000 COCs filed, so far, for barangay, SK polls
Comelec pauses work, Metro Manila BSKE COC filing amid bad weather