MANILA, Philippines — A total of 393 Youtube channels of 2022 elections candidates have been verified just as the campaign season started this week, the Commission on Elections said Thursday.
In a statement, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the verification of accounts “is a step towards ensuring the availability of trusted and credible sources of information for the public.”
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This, Jimenez stressed, is a key part in the commission’s fight against disinformation. “And that is happening because the Comelec steadfastly pursued its policies, despite knee-jerk opposition.”
The Comelec said that national and local official candidates, party-list groups and political parties who submitted to them their YouTube channel now have a verified badge.
Jimenez said: “We have worked with YouTube to verify these channels, regardless of the number of subscribers, and we will continue to work in close coordination as we strive to push out information that will be helpful to the voters through these reliable channels.”
In a resolution dated Nov. 17, 2021, the Comelec En Banc issued a resolution stating that “only verified accounts, websites, blogs, and/or social media pages may run electoral ads, and boost or promote electoral posts.”
This prompted aspirants to urge their supporters to subscribe to their Youtube channels to reach 100,000 subscribers.
Bu Jimenez, quoted in a BusinessWorld report, said then that candidates need not secure 100,000 subscribers to have their YouTube accounts verified since the poll body’s agreement with the platform would allow them to get the badge with fewer subscribers.
e-Rally
The country’s official campaign season for 2022 national and local elections started on February 8.
At least six presidential candidates kicked off their campaigns in several locations in the country last Tuesday.
On the same day, the Comelec also launched its e-Rally live streaming which it conducts every night for candidates of national posts via Campaign S • A • F • E • COMELEC e-Rally Channel on Facebook and the Commission’s official YouTube account.
“The Comelec has provided all presidential, vice-presidential and senatorial candidates, and party-list groups and political parties a platform for the free live streaming of their e-rallies, according to schedule of e-rally time slots per night,” the Commission added.
A separate release from the Comelec on Thursday stated that the Commission has also started deployment of election-related equipment and paraphernalia to different parts of the country. — Kristine Joy Patag