The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is conducting The Pilipinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point (the “Debates”) for the 2022 National and Local Elections,
The Debates aim to provide the electorate with the opportunity to see the 2022 Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates tackling the critical issues facing the country today. The Debates will provide a window into the leadership styles, problem-solving approaches, and foundational values of each candidate–insights that are absolutely essential for a fully-informed electorate.
COMELEC has engaged Vote Pilipinas as the official production partner of COMELEC for debates.
Vote Pilipinas is a non-partisan and non-profit initiative that aims to educate and mobilize Filipinos to register and to vote. It is the official voter information partner of COMELEC.
The rules of the debate that follow are taken from the Memorandum of Agreement between the COMELEC and Vote Pilipinas, signed on March 7, 2022. Practical modifications were
The debate
First released to the Candidates and Media on March 8, 2022
Updated on March 15, 2022
Updated on April 1, 2022
The Presidential Debates 1 and 2, and the Vice Presidential Debate shall be single-moderated debates.
The moderator/s shall be vetted and selected by COMELEC.
COMELEC will choose the general topics of the Debates and the Town Halls as well as the sector groups that will be asked to submit questions for each topic.
COMELEC shall review the questions and choose the top (5) questions from each sector group which will be the basis of the final questions to be presented to the Selection Committee and no guarantee can be given that any question submitted will be chosen to be among the final Debate questions.
A Selection Committee, duly formed by COMELEC, will vet the submitted questions and determine which questions will be included in the final list of guide questions to be used by the moderator.
Utmost confidentiality will be required of the Selection Committee and the moderators, as well as the sector groups, with regard to any information and/or documents received from and submitted to COMELEC and the Selection Committee.
Breach of confidentiality of the questions shall be punishable under Section 32 of Republic Act 10173, otherwise known as the “Data Privacy Act of 2012”.
| Running Time | 2 hours actual debate time 30 minutes for commercials |
| Show Gaps | 6 bodies, 5 commercial breaks |
| Audience | Audience is limited to COMELEC officials and select vetted guests of COMELEC. |
| Moderator | Single moderator |
| Speaking time | 90 seconds to answer 30 seconds to clarify |
| Speaking details | No opening statements |
| Speaking sequence | For each question, the first speaker will be determined randomly, through lot drawing. Thereafter, candidates will answer in alphabetical order. (e.g. if Sen. Lacson is drawn first, he will be followed by Mr. Mangondato until the round ends with Mr. Gonzales’ answer) |
| Running Time | 2 hours actual debate time 30 minutes for commercials |
| Show Gaps | 6 bodies, 5 commercial breaks |
| Audience | Audience is limited to COMELEC officials and select vetted guests of COMELEC. |
| Moderator | Ces Oreña-Drilon |
| Speaking time | 90 seconds to answer 30 seconds to clarify |
| Speaking details | No opening statements |
| Speaking sequence | For question 1, the first speaker will be determined randomly, through lot drawing 2 hours prior to the Debate. Thereafter, candidates will answer in alphabetical order. (e.g. if Sen. Lacson is drawn first, he will be followed by Mr. Mangondato until the round ends with Mr. Gonzales’ answer) For bodies 2, 3, 4 and 5, there will be 3 rounds of questions and for every question, 3 candidates will be chosen to answer 1 question. The 3 candidates selected to debate on each question, as well as the first speaker per round, will be determined randomly through a drawing of lots administered 2 hours before the Debate. After such first speaker, candidates will answer in alphabetical order. For the closing statements, the first speaker will be determined randomly through the drawing of lots. After such first speaker, candidates will answer in alphabetical order. |
| Format | Segment 1 - Introduction and 1 main question.
Segments 2, 3, 4 and 5 - There will be 3 rounds of questions per segment and for every question, 3 candidates will be chosen to answer 1 question.
All candidates will answer 1 question for each segment. The set of 3 candidates answering the same question per segment shall vary. Segment 6 - Each candidate will have 60 seconds for their closing statements. |
Each candidate will be addressed according to their official designation or title. In the absence of such a title, the candidate shall be addressed appropriately.
Candidates cannot ask each other direct questions during any of the Debates or Town Hall.
Should a candidate violate this rule, moderators must interrupt and explain that such an act violates the Debate rules agreed to by that candidate.
If a candidate violates this rule at least twice, the microphone of such candidate will be turned off. The moderator will then divert the offending candidate’s unused time to speak to another candidate’s response or to another question, as may be applicable.
Candidates, however, can choose to respond should they be alluded to by another candidate.
For each question during the Debates, the first speaker will be determined randomly, through lot drawing. Thereafter, candidates will answer in alphabetical order. (e.g. if Sen. Lacson is drawn first, he will be followed by Mr. Mangondato until the round ends with Mr. Gonzales’ answer)
There will be sound cues to signify the last 10 seconds, and when the time is up.
Candidates will be allowed to finish their sentences should their allotted time lapse.
Cameras will be locked into place during all Debates. They may, however, tilt or rotate as needed to frame the candidate or the moderator.
The camera located at the rear of the stage shall be used only to take shots of the moderator and will not show the notes of the candidates.
Timing lights shall be within each candidate’s line of sight.
A countdown clock will be provided.
TV coverage during the question and answer period shall be limited to shots of the candidate or moderator, and in no case shall any television shots be taken of any members of the Debate set from the time the first question is asked until the conclusion of the event.
When a candidate is speaking or answering a question, TV coverage will be limited to the best of COMELEC’s ability to the candidate who is speaking.
To the best of COMELEC’s ability, there will be no television cut—away to any candidate who is not responding to a question while another candidate is answering a question.
On stage, the candidates must limit their physical interactions with each other.
The candidates shall refrain from touching each other, whether via handshake or fist bump. They may, however, nod to acknowledge their fellow candidates.
The candidates shall not address each other with proposed pledges or challenges.
The candidates shall refrain from exclaiming over or interrupting any other candidate’s replies.
On stage, candidates’ podiums shall be arranged alphabetically from left to right, facing the moderator.
Each podium has a pen and pad paper provided by COMELEC that the candidates may use.
Both items shall be considered to be the property of COMELEC and will be treated as official artifacts of the Debates.
Each candidate may bring debate preparation materials into the Debate venue.
However, no props, notes, charts, diagrams, other writings, or other tangible things may be brought into the debate stage by any candidate, including portable electronic devices. Compliance with this rule shall be verified by the COMELEC prior to the beginning of each Debate.
If a candidate uses a prop, note, other writing, or other tangible material during the debate, including portable electronic devices, the moderator must interrupt and explain that the use of the prop, note, or other writing or other tangible material violates the Debate rules agreed to by that candidate and require that the forbidden item be removed immediately.
In the event that the prohibited item used is a portable electronic device, the candidate shall be immediately disqualified from the debate.
Media involvement shall be limited to non-exclusive broadcasting rights and onsite coverage.
COMELEC will produce an in-house live feed of the Debate, for the primary use of the broadcast on its own digital platforms.
COMELEC will allow COMELEC-accredited broadcast media as well as other vetted partners to connect to the live feed to be used for their own uninterrupted and live airing.
Such live feed connection shall be for the purpose and on the condition of uninterrupted and live broadcast of the Debates.
The Debates will adhere to the existing health and safety regulations imposed by the IATF during the conduct of the events. The following will be strictly enforced:
