DAVAO CITY (PIA) -- There were 47,637 individuals in Davao Region who filed their respective certificate of candidacies for the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan SK) elections. 

Data from the Commission of Elections (Comelec) -XI, revealed that of the total aspirants, some 28,519  are candidates for Barangay elections and 19,118 aspirants are for SK positions.

Lawyer Gay Enumerables, Assistant Regional Director of Comelec-XI, said that 2,932 individuals are running for punong barangay, 25,587 for barangay kagawad (village councilors), 3,050 for SK chairpersons and 16,068 for SK kagawad.

Trailing Davao del Sur is Davao City with 8,120 aspirants - 575 punong barangay, 4,553 sangguniang barangay, 485 SK chairpersons and 2,507 for SK kagawad.

There were 7,251 aspirants for Davao Oriental - 442 for punong barangay, 3852 for sangguniang barangay, 463 for SK chairperson and 2,494 for SK kagawad. Davao Occidental had 3,568 aspirants - 261 for punong barangay, 2,059 for sangguniang barangay, 276 for SK chairpersons and 972 for SK kagawad.

Enumerables noted the huge number of people running for elective positions in the barangay.

“Makita man jud nato that in the first few days of filing even sa munisipyo, nagdagsa dyud ang mga tawo (we can see that in the first few days of filing even in the municipalities, there were many people),” Enumerables said.

She warned the candidates that the Comelec Chairperson will be strictly implementing the provisions on premature campaigning.

“Our Comelec Chair is very clear na dapat walang mag premature campaigning because totohanin talaga,” Enumerables reminded candidates that cases will be filed to those found to engage in premature campaigning. (RGA/PIA Davao)