People aged 65 and above who intend to join next year’s national elections will be allowed to go out to file their Certificates of Candidacy (COC) in October despite community quarantines amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said on Friday.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said senior citizens who want to run for a national office would be recognized as “Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR)” from Oct. 1 to 8.
This developed after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) allowed Filipinos 65 years and older to file their COC before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“The IATF allowed persons over the age of 65 to go out of their residences to personally file their certificates of candidacy in the national office and designated field offices of the Commission on Elections,” Roque, who also serves as IATF-EID spokesperson, said.
Their APOR classification beginning October will be acknowledged, regardless of the community quarantine classification imposed within their respective areas and their vaccination status, Roque said.
The Comelec has set the filing of COC for all elective positions for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections from Oct. 1 to 8 this year.
Persons aged 65 and above are currently prohibited from leaving their respective residences because of their vulnerability to COVID-19.
However, fully-vaccinated senior citizens residing in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ (MGCQ) are allowed to leave their homes.
The movement of fully-vaccinated seniors is limited to “travel within their zone,” as interzonal travel is still prohibited, except for point-to-point travel that was previously allowed.
Fully vaccinated senior citizens who wish to travel should present a duly issued COVID-19 vaccination card and observe minimum public health standards.
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of vaccine against Covid-19.