The Commission on Elections (Comelec) released on Nov. 18, Resolution No. 10730 or the Rules and Regulations Implementing Republic Act 9006 or the “Fair Elections Act” indicating instructions that should be followed during the campaign period amid the continued influence of social media.
Comelec said in the resolution that only verified accounts, websites, blogs, and/or social media pages may run electoral ads, and boost or promote electoral posts.
On Friday, Dec. 10, senatorial aspirant Atty. Chel Diokno asked help on his Facebook page from his supporters as he cited that the Comelec will disallow non-verified accounts to promote political posts. His Youtube channel, according to Diokno, has not yet been verified.
The Comelec stated in the resolution that each registered political party as well as candidate shall register with the Comelec under the Education and Information Department (EID) the website name and web address of all platform verified official accounts, websites, blogs and/or other social media pages of such political party or candidate within 30 days from the last day of the period for the filing of COC.
Websites completing the verification process after the said period and other social media accounts established after the said period must be registered with the Comelec-EID within five days from its verification or registration.
It also stated that any other website, blog, or social media page not registered but when taken as a whole, has for its primary purpose the endorsement of a candidate, whether or not directly maintained or administered by the candidate or their official campaign representatives, shall be considered additional official websites, blogs or social media pages of the said candidate. Only verified accounts, websites, blogs, and/or social media pages may run electoral ads, and boost or promote electoral posts, the resolution read.
Comelec added that microtargeting of electoral ads shall not be allowed provided that electoral ads can be targeted using only the following criteria: geographical location, except radius around a specific location; age; and gender; provided further that contextual targeting options may also be used in combination with the said criteria.
Live streaming
Under the resolution, the Comelec, through the EID, shall provide a platform for free live-streaming of e-rallies of national candidates. The said e-rally livestreams will be posted on the COMELEC’s official social media pages.
"During each livestream, the candidate will be allowed to see live comments to his livestream. The candidate may or may not respond to live comments," the resolution stated.
E-rally airtime shall be allotted to each presidential, vice-presidential, and senatorial candidate, as well as to each party-list organization.
Comelec said that livestreaming of e-rallies shall be conducted every night, beginning Feb. 8, 2022, on its official social media channels.
At the start of the Election Period, the EID shall release a schedule of e-rally time slots, the resolution stated. It added that there shall be three presidential and three vice presidential 10-minute slots every night. In addition, there shall be five senatorial three-minute slots; and 10 PL 3-minute slots, per night. The election period will be from Jan. 9, 2022 to June 8, 2022.
It further stated that "The slots shall be assigned at random, based on the results of televised raffle of slots. The raffle shall take place on the 8th of January 2022."
In the announcement made by the Comelec in Resolution No. 10695 dated Feb. 10, 2021, the campaign period for the 2022 elections are as follows: Feb. 8 to May 7, 2022 will be for presidential, vice presidential, senatorial candidates and party-list groups participating in the party-list system of representation. March 25 to May 7, 2022 will be for members of the House of Representatives and elective regional, provincial, city and municipal officials.
Meanwhile, the resolution also stated that national television and radio networks shall sponsor at least three national debates among presidential candidates and at least one national debate among vice-presidential candidates.
The debates among presidential candidates shall be scheduled on three different calendar days. The first debate will be within the first and second week of the campaign period for national position. The second debate will be within the fifth and sixth week of the campaign period for national position. The third debate will be within the tenth and eleventh week of the campaign period for national position
The resolution further stated that sponsoring television or radio network may sell airtime for commercials and advertisements to interested advertisers and sponsors and that the Comelec shall promulgate rules and regulations for the holding of such debates.