THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has removed the ‘mandatory registration’ requirement for privately-owned accounts that will be endorsing candidates for the 2025 national and local elections (NLE), as consideration for ‘freedom of expression.’
Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said and amendment was made to Resolution No. 11064 which states that requires the registration of all official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs and other online and internet-based campaign platforms of all candidates, parties and their campaign teams including private individuals or entities endorsing candidates for the 2025 elections.
“Only the candidates and their authorized representatives, as well as authorized representatives of registered political parties/coalitions, and party-list organizations, may submit their registration forms for their official social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs/vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms,” the resolution states.
Aside from this, Garcia said that the Comelec also removed the required submission of notarized affidavits of private individuals committing that they will not engage in the wrong use of social media and online election campaign, including sanctions, in case they fail to comply.
