Incumbent brgy. execs, ex-city dad file COC

Incumbent barangay officials and appointed City Hall workers in Cebu City were among the candidates who filed their certificate of candidacy (COC) yesterday, a day before the Commission on Elections’ deadline.

This includes Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President and Tisa Barangay Captain Philip Zafra and his slate.

Zafra, in an interivew, said that he is seeking reelection because there are still several projects and programs that he wants to implement in his barangay.

“Among them are the implementation of the long delayed drainage project in Sta. Teresita Village, construction of additional school buildings due to the growing population of our students, and establishment of skills training center and the expansion of our health center,” he said.

Zafra said there is also a need to sustain their fight against illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

If he gets reelected, Zafra said he will still run for the ABC’s higher post as he plans to establish a local government academy for barangay officials that is tasked to establish programs for human resource development, public administration and training, among others.

Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) chief Ma. Nida Cabrera, who is a former city councilor, also filed her COC yesterday. She plans to run as barangay captain of Luz.

“I already did not report for work at CCENRO yesterday after I filed my COC because once you filed the COC, you are considered resigned,” she said.

More than a thousand aspirants in the city have already filed their COCs.

In the north district, a total of 639 candidates filed their COCs yesterday alone: 35 for barangay captains, 259 for barangay councilors, 41 for Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman, and 296 for SK councilors.

In the south district, a total of 762 candidates are vying for barangay posts and 583 for SK posts.

Officials of Comelec expect more aspirants to troop to their offices today. /