By Leslie Ann G. Aquino
The filing of Certificates of Candidacy for the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls starts today.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said CoCs may be filed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Office of the Election Officer in the city or municipality where the candidate resides.
Under the law, no person shall be eligible for any barangay or SK position unless he or she files a sworn CoC, the forms of which may be obtained either at the local Offices of Election Officers or downloaded at the Comelec website www.comelec.gov.ph.
Set to be elected next month are one barangay chairman, and seven barangay kagawads (councilors). One SK chairperson and seven SK kagawads will also be elected.
A person is qualified to run as barangay chairman and kagawads if he or she is a citizen of the Philippines; a registered voter in the barangay where he intends to be elected; a resident for at least one year immediately preceding the day of the election; able to read and write Filipino or any other local language or dialect; and at least 18 years of age on election day.
For SK bets, they must be a citizen of the Philippines; a qualified voter of the Katipunan ng Kabataan; a resident of the barangay for not less than one year immediately preceding the day of the elections; at least 18 years but not more than 24 years of age on the day of the elections; able to read and write Filipino, English or the local dialect;
Must not have been convicted by final judgment of any crime involving moral turpitude; and must not be related within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any incumbent elected national official or to any incumbent elected regional, provincial, city, municipal, or barangay official, in the locality where he or she seeks to be elected.