This year saw the beginning of the 2022 election season, which aside from the pandemic, was made even more interesting thanks to the personalities that filed for candidacy and political rivalries that later formed from it.
The season officially launched when the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) opened the filing for the Certificate of Candidacy between October 1 and 8.
It saw a total of 97 people filing for the presidency and 29 for vice president – with COMELEC later cutting down in a tentative list the presidential aspirants to 15 and vice-presidential aspirants to nine by late December.
Among the prominent figures that notified the COMELEC of their intention to run for presidency are Vice President Leni Robredo, incumbent Senator and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, incumbent Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, incumbent Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and labor leader Leody De Guzman.
For vice president, the following names fielded their candidacy: House Deputy Speaker and former Lito Atienza, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, incumbent Senator Francis Pangilinan, Senator Christopher Bong Go, and Cardiologist Willie Ong.
The senatorial race also saw old and new names in politics, such as incumbent and former senators, namely Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda, JV Ejercito, Richard Gordon, Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, Alan Peter Cayetano, Sherwin Gatchalian, Antonio Trillanes III, Leila de Lima, and more.
Chel Diokno and Samira Gutoc, former "Otso Diretso" candidates, also announced their intention to run again in the 2022 polls, as well as Neri Colmenares. Former Vice-President Jejomay Binay also filed his candidacy.
Former officials of the ruling administration, as well as supporters and allies, also joined the senatorial race. This includes former Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, incumbent House deputy speaker Rodente Marcoleta, former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo, incumbent Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chair Greco Belgica, and actor Robin Padilla.
Substitution Saga
While the aspirants for national posts caused a stir among Filipinos, more significant election events took place during the substitution period, which lasted until November 15.
It saw the entrance of Davao Mayor Sara Duterte in the vice presidential race as the running mate of Marcos. This is despite her initial rejection for a national post and public clamor for her to run as president.
It also saw the withdrawal of Dela Rosa, to be replaced later by Go as the ruling party's standard-bearer.
President Rodrigo Duterte also announced his bid for a senatorial slot during this period - after making several hints that he would run for another national post after his presidential stint.
Go and Duterte, however, would later pull out of their respective bids.
Meanwhile, Antonio Parlade Jr., former lieutenant general and Spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, also fielded his candidacy for the presidency, while former Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar would file for senator.
Parlade would later not make the cut based on COMELEC’s tentative list released on December 24.
Campaigning amid COVID-19
With the pandemic still in play, the 2022 national elections will see a different system than the traditional campaigns to avoid spreading COVID-19.
Candidates vying for president, vice president, senator, and party-list groups are only allowed to start campaigning on February 8 until May 7, while candidates for local officials are permitted to start on March 25 until May 7.
In Resolution No. 10730, COMELEC laid out guidelines for campaigning on the internet, mobile platforms, and social media websites.
It said that candidates and parties would need to register with the COMELEC - Education and Information Department their website name and web address of their platform-verified official accounts, websites, blogs, and/or other social media pages.
It added that "only verified accounts, websites, blogs and/or social media pages may run electoral ads, and boost or promote electoral posts."
COMELEC is also prohibiting microtargeting, which refers to online advertisements that use technology "to analyze a person's online usage, to preferentially serve advertisements and other information that specifically reflect that individual user's preferences and personality."
"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 above-mentioned criteria," the commission said.
The information inside online ads should also be truthful, and all electoral ads must disclose that it is paid and who paid for it.
Amid the pandemic, COMELEC also issued in its Resolution No. 10732 a "new normal" set up for in-person campaigns, rallies, and political meetings - which follows a level system that will be determined by the National COMELEC Campaign Committee.
Under level one, there is no limit to the number of campaign support staff that can accompany a certain candidate. Indoor or outdoor venues will also be allowed by up to 70% of operational capacity.
Under level two, candidates are only allowed to bring with them a maximum of five campaign support staff, while indoor or outdoor venues for meetings and rallies are only allowed by up to 50% of operational capacity.
Under level three, only three campaign support staff are allowed to accommodate a candidate, and operational capacity for venue remains capped by up to 50%.
Under level four, a candidate or campaign leader will no longer be allowed to bring with them their support staff, and only 30% of operational capacity is allowed for indoor or outdoor venues.
For level five, COMELEC will no longer allow support staff, as well as meetings, conventions, rallies, and Miting de Avance.
In addition to these in-person campaign guidelines, COMELEC said it is not allowing entry to houses during door-to-door campaigns even with the owner's permission. Crowds around the candidate are also not allowed, as well as handshakes, hugs, kisses, and other actions that involve physical contact among the candidate, their companions, and the public.
COMELEC is also barring selfies, photographs, and other similar activities that require close proximity between the candidate and their companions, and the public. Distribution of food and drinks is also prohibited.
What now?
The election for the country's next leaders is set for May 9, 2022, according to COMELEC, but the final roster of candidates has yet to be released.
Recent presidential surveys put Marcos Jr. on the lead against the other aspirants. However, his candidacy is riddled by several disqualification cases that cite his tax evasion conviction that petitioners claimed should make him ineligible for the presidential race.
According to COMELEC, they are targeting to release the official list of 2022 election candidates on January 7, and are hoping that pending issues, including disqualification cases, are resolved by that date.
