Comelec may repeal rule on socmed accounts registration

Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may repeal the requirement to register the personal accounts of private individuals who will campaign for political candidates on social media.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia confirmed this during a dialogue with Alliance of Concerned Teachers President Antonio Tinio on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

READ: Comelec asked: Repeal rules on AI, social media

“Chairman Garcia conceded that it is an overreach,” Tinio told INQUIRER.net over the phone.

Garcia told INQUIRER.net that he would raise the matter before the Comelec en banc, which would conduct its regular meeting on Wednesday.

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“I will recommend to en banc the amendment of guidelines re: social media,” Garcia said in a text message.

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Comelec gave a Dec. 13 deadline for the registration of social media accounts and other online platforms.

READ: Socmed accounts registration for 2025 elections ends Dec 13

The registration requirement also included any person or entity other than the candidate or political party, who creates or manages social media accounts and pages, websites, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, and other online and internet-based campaign platforms primarily used during the election period to solicit votes and promote the election or defeat of a candidate.

“The intention, apparently, is to regulate the use of paid influencers. They are private individuals but they’re paid—others are paid millions to do that. So they want to somehow track and regulate it,” Tinio said, partly in Filipino.

“Of course, our observation is that it’s very overbroad,” he added.