The first day of filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the May 2025 midterm elections in Negros Oriental went smoothly without any major incidents.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Negros Island Regional director Lionel Marco Castillano said the initial turnout was modest.
"We have not received reports of any untoward incidents from the Philippine National Police (PNP) or election officers in the towns and cities," Castillano said in an interview Tuesday.
By 5 p.m., only six candidates had filed their COCs, according to Comelec-NIR records.
These include two aspirants from Dumaguete City, two at the provincial level, and one each from the towns of Basay and La Libertad.
Among the filers was Lizza Vivar Perdices, representing the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), who is running for city councilor in Dumaguete, while Quirino Ramirez (Independent) filed his COC for the mayoral race in the city.
Two independent candidates, Jimmy Petil Merto and Ryan Bustos Ybañez, filed their candidacies for the 2nd district congressional seat. No further details were provided on the filers from Basay and La Libertad.
Castillano said he expects the pace of filing to pick up in the coming days, based on trends from previous elections, where candidates often wait until just before the deadline or choose specific dates they consider lucky, such as Oct. 7 and 8.
A total of 277 positions will be contested in Negros Oriental in the 2025 midterm elections, including governor, vice governor, three congressional representatives, 10 provincial board members, 25 mayors, 25 vice mayors, and 212 councilors across the province's cities and towns.
Castillano encouraged candidates to file their COCs early to allow time to address any potential issues with their paperwork. (PNA)
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