COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) Provincial Office has received its first certificate of candidacy (COC) with the filing of a 73-year-old candidate for Misamis Oriental governor Friday.

Early bird Manuel Po, a resident of Barangay Lower Jasaan, Misamis Oriental filed his COC for the province's top elective post at 1:25 p.m. Friday, Comelec provincial office personnel who requested of anonymity told Sun.Star.

Po had run for governor on three previous elections.

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Lawyer Carlito Ravelo, Comelec Provincial Election supervisor, said the Comelec had made extensive preparations to receive the COCs during the first day of filing but said they are expecting "serious" political candidates to file their COCs on the 27th of November and on or before the deadline, which is on December 1.

The city Comelec, on the other hand, has yet to receive a single COC as of Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 14 presidential wannabes and three aspiring senatorial bets have filed their COCs at the start of the filing at the Comelec central office in Manila Friday.

As expected, unknown individuals who are just looking for a short shot of fame flocked to the poll body office.

One of them was teacher/preacher Rigoberto Madera Jr., 61, from Pagina Jagna, Bohol. He was the first to file his COC at 8:40 a.m.

He intends to run for the highest position in the land and said he was endorsed by the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL). Among his other plans is to succeed US President Barack Obama.

Another presidential wannabe, 46-year-old Vicente Fabella, from Maybunga, Pasig City said if the Comelec will not allow him to run and declared him as a nuisance candidate it will be the end of the world.

The first batch of would-be presidential bets also includes Oliver Lozano, who is running as Independent KBL pending the party's convention. He said his campaign funds will be paid to him as Attorney's fee in the amount of more or less P5 billion.

Lozano said he has a chance to win. "The Presidency is both divine will and destiny. Lincoln (former US president) lost many times before he became the best US President."

Another candidate for president is masseuse, 56-year-old Josefina Murillo of Quezon City. She is running independently and praying that she'll win the presidency so as to "save the people."

Taxi driver Wendell Lope, 34, said he wants to be the leader of the country because he can do a better job than the current crop of politicians.

However, the personnel from the Comelec law department did not accept all those who filed their COC for various reasons.

Some were rejected because they failed to complete the documentary requirements.

The Comelec also started accepting manifestations of intent from sectoral groups that would like to join next year's party-list elections.

Sixteen intents, including two from Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac), Biyayang Bukid and Anak Mindanao (Amin) Party List, 1-Utak, Buhay, Ako, An Waray, 1-Araw, Abakada, Aba Ilonggo, Alliance of the Philippines (Agap), Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) and Ako Ayoko sa Bawal na Droga.

The party-lists were given until March 26, 2010 to submit the names of their nominees (maximum of five).

Aside from the manifestations from party-list groups, those individuals who are looking to join the national and local polls next year can file their COC before the Comelec offices nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Comelec denied the petitions for registration and accreditation of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and Courage for partylist for lack of constituency.

The poll body said for them to approve the ACT petition, they should prove that they exist in a region.

"Based on the verification, ACT Teachers does not exist in the majority of the regions in the country," the Comelec's First Division said in a resolution.

However, Antonio Tinio, ACT President denied the claims of the Comelec and that the latter did not verify its report.

In a separate resolution, the Comelec also found that Courage existed only in selected areas like Western Visayas, Davao del Sur, a town in Lanao del Norte and Rizal and some cities in Metro Manila.

The poll body said Courage also failed to submit a copy of its Article of Incorporation. (ALR/With Sunnex reports)