The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has announced today that it would start accepting Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) bets starting September 14 until September 19, 2007, this according to COMELEC Resolution 8297 promulgated September 6, 2007.

The COMELEC said any person running as candidate for Punong Barangay, Sangguniang Barangay Kagawad, Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman or Sangguniang Kabataan Kagawad needs to file a sworn certificate of candidacy in the Office of the Election Officer in cities and municipalities nationwide. The format of the COCs may be obtained from the Election Officer, free of charge.

"The candidate shall file the certificate of candidacy personally or by his duly authorized representative. No certificate of candidacy shall be filed or accepted by mail, telegram or facsimile" the COMELEC said.

The officials to be elected and their qualifications

The officials to be elected in each barangay are One (1) Punong Barangay and seven (7) Sangguniang Barangay Kagawad for the Barangay elections and One (1) Chairman and seven (7) Sangguniang Kabataan Kagawad for the SK.

Candidates for Punong Barangay and Sangguniang Barangay Kagawad must be Filipino citizens who are at least 18 years old on election day; able to read and write Pilipino or any local language or dialect; and registered voters of the barangay where they intend to run for office and residents thereof for at least one (1) year immediately preceding the day of the election.

Candidates for Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman and Sangguniang Kabataan Kagawad must be Filipino citizens who are at least fifteen (15) years old but less than eighteen (18) years old on election day; able to read and write Pilipino, English or the local dialect; and a qualified voter of the katipunan ng kabataan of the barangay where they intend to run for office and residents thereof at least one (1) year immediately preceding the election.

According to the resolution, the COCs shall contain, among other things, relevant information such as the candidate's statement that he is eligible for the office he is running for and that he is not a member of any political party, group or coalition of political parties; a statement that he will support and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and maintain true faith and allegiance thereto; a declaration that he is not a permanent resident or an immigrant to a foreign country and the name or names of persons he prefers to substitute him as candidate in the event of his death.

Appointive barangay, city/municipal, provincial, regional, or national officials or employees, or those in the civil or military service, including those in government-owned or controlled corporations, shall be considered automatically resigned upon the filing of a certificate of candidacy for a barangay or sangguniang kabataan office. Elective officials running for any barangay elective position, however, the COMELEC said shall not be considered resigned upon the filing of their certificates of candidacy.

Resolution 8297, the COMELEC said, amended Resolution 8264 dated August 8, 2007 "insofar as the period for the filing of certificates of candidacy for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections" is concerned.