As the Philippines gears up for the national and local elections on 12 May 2025, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has introduced a stringent new policy targeting online endorsements by celebrities and social media influencers. Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia announced that the poll body will presume all such endorsements are paid, placing the onus on candidates to report them as contributions or expenditures in their financial disclosures. This move aims to tighten campaign finance regulations and curb potential loopholes in a political landscape increasingly shaped by digital influence.
Speaking at a news forum in Manila on Wednesday, Garcia underscored the importance of transparency in campaign funding. “When a celebrity is used [to endorse a candidate], we will presume that the celebrity is paid and therefore [the candidate] should not tell us that it was free because the celebrity is a friend or an admirer,” he told reporters. The policy, set to be formalised in an upcoming resolution, will require candidates to include both paid and donated endorsements in their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (Soces), a mandatory filing due within 30 days after Election Day.
Accountability Push
The Comelec’s latest regulation reflects a growing concern over the role of digital platforms in shaping voter perceptions, particularly in a country where social media plays a pivotal role in political campaigns. With millions of Filipinos active on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, influencers and celebrities wield significant sway over public opinion. By presuming payment for endorsements, the poll body seeks to ensure that candidates cannot evade financial accountability by claiming such support was offered gratis. 
Garcia clarified that the policy targets candidates rather than endorsers themselves. “We’re not after the celebrity or the influencer; what we’re after is the candidate who’s saying that [the endorsement] is free, because if it’s free, then it’s a donation,” he explained. Under Philippine election law, donations must be reported and assigned a monetary value, which could also have tax implications for the endorsers, though that falls outside Comelec’s direct jurisdiction.
The regulation, however, comes with specific exemptions. Endorsements from family members related to the candidate within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity—such as parents, siblings, or in-laws—will not be subject to the same scrutiny. “There’s no value for love [by a relative-endorser],” Garcia remarked, highlighting the cultural nuance of familial ties in Filipino politics. Similarly, endorsements by incumbent government officials or politicians, especially those from the same political party, are also exempt, recognising the established dynamics of partisan support.
Navigating Ambiguities in Enforcement
One of the challenges in implementing this policy lies in its scope and definitions—or lack thereof. Garcia noted that Comelec will not provide a strict definition of what constitutes a “celebrity” or “influencer,” opting instead for a case-by-case evaluation. This approach aims to maintain flexibility but could introduce inconsistencies in enforcement. For instance, distinguishing between a genuine supporter posting independently and an influencer subtly compensated for their content may prove difficult in the fast-paced, often opaque world of online campaigning. While the policy focuses on transparency, it raises questions about how monetary values will be assigned to donated endorsements. Garcia indicated that Comelec would determine an equivalent amount for free endorsements, though the methodology remains unclear. This could lead to disputes among candidates, particularly if perceived as arbitrary or unfairly applied.
Beyond administrative challenges, the policy also underscores broader issues of digital literacy and regulation in the Philippines. Social media has been a double-edged sword in past elections, amplifying both legitimate discourse and misinformation. The 2022 presidential election, for instance, saw widespread allegations of troll farms and paid influencers shaping narratives, often with little accountability. While Comelec’s new rule does not directly address disinformation, it indirectly tackles one of its financial underpinnings by ensuring that online endorsements are tracked as part of campaign spending.
Political and Cultural Implications
The presumption of payment for endorsements also reflects a deeper cultural shift in how influence is perceived in Filipino society. Celebrities and influencers, often seen as trusted voices, have long played a role in politics, from endorsing candidates to participating in campaign rallies. However, their involvement has increasingly come under scrutiny as the line between genuine support and commercial transactions blurs. By framing all endorsements as presumptively paid, Comelec is sending a message that political influence in the digital age must be accounted for, regardless of personal relationships or public personas.
This policy could have a chilling effect on smaller campaigns or independent candidates who rely on organic support from local influencers or lesser-known figures. If every online shout-out is treated as a financial transaction, candidates with limited resources may hesitate to seek such endorsements, fearing additional reporting burdens or penalties. Conversely, well-funded campaigns might exploit the system by formalising payments to high-profile endorsers, further widening the gap between political haves and have-nots.
From a legal standpoint, failure to report endorsements—whether paid or donated—could result in severe consequences for candidates. Under Philippine election law, deficiencies in Soces filings can lead to administrative fines or even perpetual disqualification from holding public office. This adds a layer of risk for candidates navigating an already complex regulatory landscape, particularly as digital campaigning continues to evolve faster than the laws governing it.
The Philippines is not alone in grappling with the intersection of social media and electoral politics. Across South East Asia, governments and election bodies are increasingly scrutinising digital campaigns. In Indonesia, for example, the General Elections Commission (KPU) has implemented regulations requiring candidates to report social media advertising expenditures, though enforcement remains inconsistent. Thailand’s Election Commission has also faced challenges in monitoring online influence during its 2023 general election, with allegations of paid content skewing voter perceptions.
What sets the Philippine approach apart is its explicit presumption of payment, a stance that prioritises accountability over ambiguity. If successful, this policy could serve as a model for other countries in the region, though its effectiveness will depend on Comelec’s ability to enforce it uniformly and transparently. Critics may argue that without robust mechanisms to monitor online transactions—such as partnerships with social media platforms or enhanced cybersecurity measures—the policy risks being more symbolic than substantive.
There is also the speculative concern that such regulations might drive endorsements underground, with candidates and influencers resorting to less traceable forms of compensation, such as in-kind benefits or deferred payments. While there is no evidence to suggest this is currently happening on a wide scale, the possibility remains a topic of discussion among election watchdogs. If confirmed, such practices could undermine the very transparency Comelec seeks to achieve, though the poll body’s focus on candidate reporting rather than influencer behaviour may mitigate this risk to some extent.
May 2025 Elections
With the elections just over three months away, Comelec’s policy on online endorsements marks a significant step towards modernising campaign finance rules in the Philippines. It reflects an awareness of the digital era’s challenges and opportunities, even as it navigates uncharted territory in terms of enforcement and cultural adaptation. For candidates, the message is clear: transparency is non-negotiable, and the cost of influence—whether literal or figurative—must be accounted for.
As the campaign season intensifies, all eyes will be on how this policy plays out in practice. Will it level the playing field by holding candidates accountable for their digital strategies, or will it create new hurdles for those already disadvantaged by the system? While the answers remain uncertain, Comelec’s move signals a broader shift in how electoral politics must adapt to the realities of the 21st century, not just in the Philippines but across the region.
For Filipino voters, the policy serves as a reminder of the power—and price—of influence in a democracy increasingly shaped by clicks, likes, and shares. As Garcia and his team finalise the resolution in the coming weeks, the hope is that transparency will prevail, ensuring that the voices shaping the 2025 elections are not just heard, but fully accounted for.
