Philippines vote campaign starts amid violence, coronavirus fears

Nearly 66 million Filipinos in the country and more than 1.6 million abroad have registered to vote in the May 9 elections for more than 18,000 local government and congressional posts

Candidates for Philippine congressional seats and thousands of smaller races started campaigning on March 25 with police watching closely due to past violence and to enforce a pandemic ban on handshakes, hugging and tightly packed crowds that are a hallmark of the country’s often circus-like campaigns.

Campaigning for the Presidency and other high-profile races began last month. Nearly 66 million Filipinos in the country and more than 1.6 million abroad have registered to vote in the May 9 elections for more than 18,000 local government and congressional posts.

Social media has become a key battleground for votes after two years of lockdowns and home quarantine restrictions in a Southeast Asian country that was hit hard by coronavirus outbreaks. The last alarming spike occurred in January before easing with an intensified vaccination campaign. Many fear election disinformation could worsen in a country regarded as one of the world's top internet users.

In the capital Manila, a Mayoral candidate launched her candidacy by waving and dancing from a pickup truck that weaved through a crowded public market area and blared her campaign jingle as crowds cheered from the sidewalks and snapped photos with their cellphones. Her mascot waved to the crowd from another truck in a scene shown live on Facebook.

In suburban Marikina city, a Mayoral candidate walked from house to house under the intense summer heat and talked to residents as followers trailed him, including one who banged a snare drum to draw attention. In Quezon city, also in the Manila metropolis, red and white confetti rained down on a stage, as the Mayor, who is seeking reelection, and her allies held and raised each other's hands in a show of unity. She later approached supporters, some of whom grabbed her hands. Such fiesta-like scenes were replicated in most of the country.

Some candidates openly flouted elections coronavirus regulations, campaigning in public without the required face masks, shaking hands and huddling close to supporters seeking selfies. Elections Commissioner George Garcia warned candidates not to violate coronavirus restrictions. “While we have eased restrictions, it doesn’t mean there can be super-spreader events,” he said in a news conference on Thursday.

With limited staff, the commission has struggled to enforce its campaign regulations, such as putting campaign posters in unauthorised areas. “Don’t waste your posters in public places. They will just be taken down,” Mr. Garcia said.