1-Rider Party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita (Facebook)

Certificates of candidacy (COCs) filers remained few on Friday, Oct. 4, or at the halfway point of the filing period, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

On the fourth day of filing, 19 aspirants for senator filed their COCs while 15 filed for party-list representation.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said that so far, a total of 58 aspirants filed for senator while 50 filed for party-list.

"Hanggang sa araw na ito, medyo matumal pa rin kung tutuusin natin sapagkat mayroon tayong 160 party-lists na inaasahan na magfafile ng Certificate of Nomination and Certificate of Acceptance of Nomination (CON-CANs) (Up to today, it's still relatively low because we have 160 party-lists that are expected to file their CON-CANs)," he said.

"Dun naman sa senador, more or less, yang 58 medyo madami-dami na rin yan pero base sa kasaysayan natin, sa filing ng COC sa senators medyo laging higit 100 ang nagfa-file ng candidacy para sa senado (For senators, more or less, 58 aspirants are a significant number, but based on our history, the number of those who file their candidacy for senator often exceeds 100)," he added.

The majority of those who filed for senator were members of the Makabayan Coalition namely Ronaldo Adonis, Ronnel Arambulo, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, Jocelyn Andamo, Teddy Casiño, ACT Rep. France Castro, Eufemia Doringo, Modesto Floranda, Liza Maza, Amirah Lidasan, and Danilo Ramos.

Accompanied by former Senate President Manny Villar and Senator Mark Villar, Las Piñas City lone district Rep. Camille Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) also filed her COC.

Makati City Mayor Abby Binay of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) also filed her COC for senator. 

Villar and Binay are part of the administration-backed Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate.

Bosita eyes Senate seat

Meanwhile independent bets Froilan Serafico, Elvis Beniga and 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Bonifacio Bosita also filed their COC for senator.

Of the bunch, it was Bosita who was somewhat of a surprise as he has never hinted about a Senate run during his short time as a House of Representatives member. He belongs to the minority bloc.

Bosita became a congressman following the May 2022 polls. His party-list, 1-Rider, received the second-most votes during that year's party-list race, next only to ACT-CIS. 

A social media savant, Bosita gained fame and mass following thanks to his various videos wherein he was seen helping motorcycle riders and motorists get out of various predicaments. 

Bosita is a former member of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG).

Last to file their COCs for senator were Partido Lakas ng Masa members Renecio "Luke" Espiritu and Leody de Guzman.

Filing their Con-Cans were party-lists Magbubukid, Pinuno, Gilas, ABP, Gabriela, Abamin, Pinoy Ako, Ilocano Defenders, BBM, and 1-Rider.