As part of their committment to voters, presidential and vice presidential aspirants should join the debates, Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez said on Saturday, Jan. 22.
"Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates should commit, to the public whose votes they seek, that they will participate in the #PiliPinasDebates2022. #gauntlet," he said in a tweet.
Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates should commit, to the public whose votes they seek, that they will participate in the #PiliPinasDebates2022. #gauntlet
— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) January 22, 2022
Under Resolution No. 10730 or the Fair Elections Act, 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:
- 1st Debate - Within the first and second week of the campaign period for national position
- 2nd Debate - Within the fifth and sixth week of the campaign period for national position
- 3rd Debate - Within the tenth and eleventh week of the campaign period for national position
In the announcement made by the COMELEC in Resolution No. 10695 dated February 10, 2021, the campaign period for the 2022 elections are as follows:
February 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 while March 25 to May 7, 2022 will be for members of the House of Representatives and elective regional, provincial, city and municipal officials.
Candidates however are not forced or required to join the debates, according to Comelec.