A total of 152 persons filed their certificates of candidacy for senator while 185 persons presented certificates of nomination and acceptable ( CONA) from partylist organizations as the filing period ended Wednesday afternoon at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) national office in Manila.

In the 2016 polls, a total of 172 COCs and 213 CONAs from partylists were filed.

“We are lower because this is the midterm elections. Usually, midterm elections have less candidates historically,” said Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon in a press briefing.

Among those who filed their COCs were re-electionist Senator Sonny Angara, former senators Serge Osmeña and Bong Revilla, ex-presidential spokesman Harry Roque, and former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino.

Ex-senator Juan Ponce Enrile, the oldest senatorial candidate at 94, also went to the Comelec to re-file his amended COC.

Guanzon said compared to the last elections, the atmosphere is "not circus-like."

“No one calls himself ‘Lucifer’ for a position. I think, generally, the candidates here that filed were quite earnest in saying I want to file my COC for senator because I am qualified,” said Guanzon.

The Comelec said it is looking at releasing the final list of candidates by mid-December. DMS