MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday extended the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Metro Manila and several parts of Northern Luzon until Sunday.

This came after the poll body suspended work in all of its offices in Metro Manila on Thursday due to bad weather.

“Due to the suspension of Government Work on account of inclement weather, the Filing (and reception) of Certificates of Candidacy in the National Capital Region, and the Provinces of Abra and Ilocos Norte, is extended until 5:00 p.m. of September 3, 2023, Sunday,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a Viber message.

“Accordingly, the filing (and reception) of Certificates of Candidacy in the NCR is likewise suspended for today,” Laudiangco added.

Besides Metro Manila, the provincial government of Abra and Ilocos Norte also implemented work suspension.

As of Thursday, 9:30 a.m., around 767,064 aspiring candidates have filed their COC nationwide.

This accounts for 58,602 aspiring barangay captains and 421,365 aspiring members of Sangguniang Barangay.

In the SK polls, some 46,921 aspiring SK chairpersons and 240,176 aspiring members filed their COCs. (PNA)