By JEN BAYLON
A total of 41 aspirants filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for provincial and congressional positions in Negros Occidental for the 2025 midterm elections.
Based on the latest records from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), after the COC filing from October 1 to 8, there are five candidates for governor and two for vice governor.
For Sangguniang Panlalawigan board members, Negros Occidental 1st and 2nd Districts have two candidates each, 3rd and 4th Districts have four each, while 5th District has six, and 6th District has five running for the position.
For district representatives, there are two candidates each in the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th districts, while one candidate has filed COC in the 2nd District.
Meanwhile, 133 candidates are vying for mayoral and vice mayoral positions in 31 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, including capital Bacolod City, Comelec records showed yesterday.
Seventy candidates filed COCs for municipal and city mayor, while 63 are seeking vice mayoral posts.
Seven aspirants for mayoral posts in the cities of San Carlos, Cadiz, Sagay, and Victorias, as well as the municipalities of Pontevedra, Ilog and Toboso, are unopposed.
Eight aspirants for vice mayor in the cities of San Carlos, Cadiz and Sipalay, as well as the municipalities of Calatrava, Don Salvador Benedicto, Toboso, Pulupandan, and Ilog, are unchallenged.
Five-cornered fight
The congressional race in Bacolod for the 2025 elections will be a five-cornered fight.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez filed his COC for the congressional representative seat on Tuesday, October 8.
Benitez will face former Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia again, who was also his opponent in the 2022 national and local elections when he ran for mayor.
Benitez and Leonardia will face three other opponents who also filed for lone district representative — Romy Gustilo, a former seaman; Ed Gulmatico, a former overseas Filipino worker and author; and Roger Abanid.
‘Peaceful’
Meanwhile, Comelec-Negros Occidental elections supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said the eight-day COC filing in the province was notably peaceful and successful.
“Although there were minor challenges for those who filed through representatives, these were resolved promptly,” Ananoria said.
He said the next step after the filing process involves submitting the COCs to the commission’s law department for verification of the certificates of nomination and acceptance to ensure that the signatures match their records.
Candidates without matching signatures will be classified as independent, he added.
The official voter’s list is expected to be released by November of this year, as the Comelec continues to prepare for the upcoming electoral process./JB, WDJ