31% of bets register social media accounts
Only 31 percent of the 43,033 individuals, who filed their certificates of candidacy for the May 12 elections, registered their social media accounts, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
A total of 70 senatorial bets submitted registration forms—exceeding the 66 Senate candidates the Comelec approved.
According to the poll body, it has not received any restraining order on any of the 117 other senatorial aspirants who have been declared nuisance.
Meanwhile, 237 party list groups, organizations and coalitions have also sent their registration. For aspirants vying for local positions, only 13,416 have registered their social media accounts.
Comelec Chair George Garcia insisted the poll body would not extend the deadline. “There will be no extension. If you don’t want your posts or accounts removed then you must register your social media accounts,” he said.
In September, the poll body issued Resolution No. 11064 as an attempt to regulate election campaigning on social media platforms, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and internet technology for the 2025 national and local elections, and the first ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
It was also meant to put a stop on the propagation of misinformation and disinformation, and level the playing field in online campaigning.
The resolution would also empower the poll body to monitor the online campaigning and spending of candidates. Garcia noted that candidates may spend millions to pay online influencers, who enjoy a large following on different social media platforms.
