The Commission on Elections (Comelec) changed the venue for the filing of the certificate of candidacy for the 2022 national elections.
In a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Automated Election System hearing on Wednesday (Sep. 15), the poll body said the venue for the COC filing for the national positions from Oct. 1 to Oct. 8 will take place in a tent in a hotel at Pasay City instead of the Palacio Del Gobernador in Intramuros due to the threat of COVID-19.
“The doors will be open, there will be ventilation. The big space will be divided into venues for filing for president, VP, senator, and party list,” Comelec-Project Management Office Project Director Bartolome Sinocruz Jr. said.
“Iyong health protocols po ay hundred percent [garbled] kami diyan. Kaya nilalagay na lang namin sa Sofitel dahil iba ang entrance, iba iyong exit at saka malawak po ang lugar, at saka iyong social distancing ay mai-enforce,” Comelec Comissioner Rowena Guanzon added on Thursday (Sep. 16).
According to the Comelec, the venue’s capacity is around 2,000, however, it will be limited to ensure the observance of physical distancing. There will also be separate areas for filers, Comelec staff, and the media.
The commission initially said it will not allow the candidates to bring many people in their submission of COC. A negative RT-PCR result or antigen test result is also required, even with the company of the candidates in the filing.
“Ngayon, bawat kandidato pwedeng magsama lang siya ng isa. Kasi nga po kapag marami ay mahirap na pong maghawaan at ang social distancing ay hindi na ma-enforce. So isa lang po ang allowed na companion. At mayroon po kaming test, antigen test, bago pumasok. Libre naman po iyan para sa kandidato pero para sa kasama nila ay kung pwede po magbayad sila kasi siyempre pera iyan ng gobyerno,” Guanzon said.
In relation to this, Sinocruz said the election officers and provincial election supervisors are “given the authority to transfer ang kanilang filing venue” for local COC filing.
Report from Kenneth Paciente/NGS-rir
