Comelec to decide next week on paid endorsement in 2025 polls

Commission on Elections Chairperson George Garcia | PHOTO: INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc will decide next week on the resolution of presumption of paid services of influencers, content creators, or celebrities for a candidate or political party for the 2025 elections, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Friday.
Garcia said that the committee on political and finance office, led by Commissioner Rey Bulay, will recommend the provision before the en banc.
READ: Comelec eyes presumption of paid endorsement of influencers
“This will be approved by the Commission en banc by next week and hopefully, this will be adopted by the Commission en banc,” Garcia said partly in Filipino during the sidelines of the regular briefing on updates for the 2025 elections.
Garcia also noted that the measure will be done for proper monitoring of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. He reiterated that, if approved, the candidates and political parties will have to report on their statements of contributions and expenditures (SOCEs) the use of services of personalities 30 days after the elections.
Article continues after this advertisement“This is proof that we are serious that we are not going against the content creators, influencers, or vloggers. Our purpose is for the candidates to report properly,” Garcia added in Filipino.
Article continues after this advertisementGarcia stated that the rule will apply regardless of the number of the following of an influencer, content creator, or celebrity. However, he said that the candidates should be the one to explain the matter.
“The candidates must be cautious that they may get complaints from their opponents, especially if this is a local election. So what we’re saying is we want this to be realistic,” he added.
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He reiterated that all the SOCEs of candidates and political parties will be published in the Comelec website after the elections.