In the early 1950s, Filipinos witnessed the first viral campaign jingle used for the late President and then-candidate, Ramon Magsaysay’s presidential campaign. Composed by former Senator and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Raul Manglapus, the “Magsaysay Mambo” emerged after the Second World War and echoed through the streets and corners of Manila during the election season.
It spotlighted the late president’s pursuit of good governance and democracy, with various versions released in English and Ilocano. The lyrics go, “Everywhere that you would look was a bandit or a crook. Peace and order was a joke, till Magsaysay pumasok!”
This is just one example of the many campaign gimmicks political aspirants use to reach the public sphere, come election season.
If, long before the dawn of the digital age, candidates had already been competing for the public’s attention through various gimmicks and strategies, how has social media exacerbated this practice in shaping voters’ opinions?
Assistant Professor Maria Elize Mendoza from the Department of Political Science at the University of the Philippines (UP) - Diliman said that social media had become indispensable in campaign strategies since 2016’s “first social media elections.”
From brand creation to troll armies, vloggers, and social media influencers, politicians have now understood the importance of using social media platforms, “whether to spread true campaigns or to spread disinformation.”
“Kailangan ngayon mag-compete in terms of how to get the public's attention. Kaya dito nag-aarise yung different gimmicks, different types of strategies online to get the public's attention,” Mendoza explained. “Kasi kung lahat kayo, nasa social media, you need to strategize on how you will get [an] audience for your content. And in turn, ang nakikita natin is yung mga contents na need to be released ay mga emotionally charged, mga exaggerated na types of contents, kasi nga it would capture audiences more.”
Political Campaigning and Creative Executions
“And that's what's important for political candidates and even yung mga supporters nila. So rarely ka makakakita ng seryosong content from these types of candidates kasi hindi papansinin ‘yun. Ang mas papansinin yun yung merong element ng galit, may element ng chismis, may element ng entertainment–which parang naging prominent strategy na ‘yun,” she continued.
A 2023 study from InternewsPH stated that the Philippine political culture has always been personalistic. This is evident in the prominence of celebrity political endorsers, celebrities-turned-politicians, and the practice of political celebrification.
Additionally, the study found that influencers have become a “highly attractive” tool for political campaigning due to their abilities to create spaces for refracted publics.
Based on the study, Architects of Networked Disinformation, some political campaigns resemble the structure of an advertisement and public relations (PR) communications plan. The study found that strategists craft “core campaign messages” that resonate with audience expectations based on a candidate’s personality branding or advocacy.
This method identifies the audience’s “touch points,” which helps them communicate their messages more effectively. The campaign materials, such as hashtags, memes, fake news write-ups, and videos, are later disseminated through platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Additionally, the study argued that digital influencers are also utilized, often to promote positive and personal branding that high-level strategists have created for their political clients.
This can mean highlighting someone’s unique selling point, like projecting former President Rodrigo Duterte as a politician with a simple lifestyle and strong political will. Moreover, the study mentioned that it can also be as insidious as revising a client’s personal or familial history to put them in a better light.
If these elements were at play in the previous elections, changes in the circulation of data in online spaces would also follow. Mendoza said she observed a few changes in how online discourse on politics is shaped online.
The Rise of Influencer Pages
During the 2019 midterm elections, the nation witnessed the rise of micro- and nano-influencers as the main actors in disinformation operations. This contrast to the macro-influencers of 2016 shifted audience engagement and provided them with “greater engagement and affinity.”
Smaller following, as the study suggested, allowed them to “better infiltrate communities while avoiding detection and monitoring” by eliminating talking heads.
This method allowed them to operate with less attention from the mainstream media, which in turn minimized scrutiny and evaded accountability. However, in recent years, Mendoza pointed out that influencer pages have found their space in the online world.
“So kunyari, [sina] Mocha Uson, Thinking Pinoy (RJ Nieto), [Sass Rogando] Sasot (For the Motherland), even si Senyora Santibañez, kilala natin kung sino yung nasa likod ni Senyora. May mga pinapakalat sila na insights nila in support of their respective candidate,” Mendoza explained.
However, she noted that influencer pages do not disclose the identity of the person operating them, hence, they remain anonymous.
“Isa sa mga napansin ko ngayon is yung rise of popular but anonymous pages [like] We Are Millennials, and Pilipinas Today. Yung hindi natin kilala kung sino yung nasa likod ng page na ‘yun. May ganong klaseng influencer pages,” she said.
“It presents a challenge in terms of accountability. Who do you hold accountable? Kasi ngayon yung mga nakikita natin [na] ini-invite doon sa congressional probe, mga very distinct personalities, [like] Trixie Cruz-Angeles, etc.,” she added.
However, with the rise of anonymous influencer pages, Mendoza questioned: Who should be held accountable if the identities of these operators remain unknown? The change within the social media sphere presents influencer pages–not personalities–as the ones at the forefront of posting content that can be favorable or unfavorable to particular politicians.
However, these pages aren’t the only things affecting the flow of information online; Mendoza noted how algorithms also influence the traffic of posts on our feeds.
Algorithms, How Do They Work?
Algorithms act as modifiers of the type of content shown to users based on their digital interactions and engagements. They are at the core of online platforms like Facebook, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube.
Mendoza explained that once an audience is captured by entertaining or hypercharged content and interacts with it, the algorithm will show similar posts online, regardless of whether it is factual or not.
“Algorithms are scary, actually, in terms of shaping public opinion. Kasi para sa atin, akala natin, ‘yun na ‘yun, ‘yun na yung true information,” she emphasized.
“If you do not have the privilege or the resources to fact-check, [and] to look at other sources of information, there's a tendency na mata-trap ka na lang talaga dun sa bubble na pino-produce ng algorithm mo,” she explained. “So I think siguro segue ko na lang din, ‘yun din yung problema ko dun sa mga nagsasabi na look for alternative sources of information. Not all Filipinos have the privilege of looking for alternative sources of information.”
The scary thing about algorithms–as Mendoza mentioned–is the perpetuation of echo chambers.
“If ‘yun at ‘yun lang yung nakikita mong types of contents, unless someone presents you with alternative pieces of information, most likely dun na iikot yung beliefs mo about a certain issue,” Mendoza clarified.
For Facts Sake
Aside from fact-checking and supporting fact-checking initiatives, Mendoza highlighted how organizations or groups should also think of proactive ways of providing accurate information.
According to Mendoza, this is where media organizations come in. To supply society with accurate information, these organizations must explore ways to flood platforms with the proper data.
Although algorithms still pose a challenge when it comes to content regulation online, Mendoza said platforms play a huge role in presenting audiences with a balance of other perspectives. Instead of blaming the general public alone, Mendoza believes there is something greater than individual action.
According to her, structural factors are often at play, and intentions among individuals vary.
As the 2025 midterm elections near, a variety of material continues to bombard people online, regardless of whether it's factual or not. If someone presents you with alternative information, Mendoza encourages Filipinos to be open to discussions and challenge their perspective.
“If ever someone calls you out or someone presents you with other information, just be open to it. Do not dismiss it. And then, make your informed judgments from there. Para kung ano man yung ilagay mo doon sa balota mo, masasabi mo na informed choice ‘yon,” she emphasized.
“Whether it's pro-administration or pro-opposition, that’s democracy. We can vote [for] whoever we want, as long as it's an educated choice and an informed choice,” she added.
As we grapple with the complexity of social media and information dissemination, Mendoza noted that a larger issue beyond politics exists. There is no universal remedy when it comes to the fight against disinformation. However, it is a battle that the general public, stakeholders, and social media platforms must face together.
For now, the question remains: how should we address the issue without curtailing one's freedom of speech?
