Manila: The Commission on Elections in the Negros Island Region (Comelec-NIR) has authorized a change in the venues for Certificate of Candidacy (COC) filing in several local government units (LGUs) to accommodate the anticipated increase in aspirants for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

According to Philippines News Agency, Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, the Comelec-NIR regional election director, stated that while COC filing is usually conducted by the Office of the Election Officer in each town or city, larger venues have been designated in some areas due to the expected number of candidates. Castillano emphasized that the current office spaces are inadequate to handle the large volume of potential candidates, necessitating the search for venues with more capacity.

Comelec-NIR records indicate that 10 LGUs in Negros Occidental have been approved to transfer their COC filing locations. These include Himamaylan City, Hinoba-an, Talisay City, Murcia, Kabankalan City, Bacolod City, Sagay City, Victorias City, and Cadiz City, with specific larger venues assigned to each area to facilitate the filing process.

The designated venues will be available for COC filing from September 28 to October 5, except for Bacolod City's Liga ng mga Barangay venue at the Seawall Complex Center, which will be open only on the final filing day. In Negros Oriental, four LGUs-La Libertad, Siaton, Guihulngan City, and Bindoy-have also been authorized to use alternative venues, with specific dates set for each location.

Castillano highlighted that no venue transfer has been authorized in Siquijor province. He urged all BSKE aspirants to ensure their COCs and necessary attachments are complete before submission to avoid any delays or the risk of missing the filing deadline.