MANILA, Philippines – The 2025 election is fast approaching, and candidates are getting creative with their campaigns in the hope of winning. But citizens and government should be on the lookout for campaigning that violates our laws.
To help educate voters on various election offenses, Rappler, together with the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), Pitik Bulag, and Explained PH, has a series of videos and infographics related to election-related red flags that might appear during the campaign period.
Election violations, such as vote-buying, distributing aid funded by government, and spreading political disinformation, are actions that go against existing electoral laws, mainly Batas Pambansa 881 or the Omnibus Election Code, which is implemented by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
This compilation of content is just a few of the many voter guides produced as part of #FactsFirstPH’s voter empowerment campaign, #AmbagNatin, with support from the Google News Initiative. Through this campaign, LENTE, Pitik Bulag, Explained PH, and Rappler received support to make voter empowerment content and share them with their networks.
LENTE, Pitik Bulag, Explained PH, and Rappler are members of #FactsFirstPH, a coalition of over 150 organizations nationwide committed to making facts thrive in the Philippines’ information landscape.
General red flags
What are the different red flags voters should spot during elections? Filipino editorial artist collective Pitik Bulag lists them down for us.
Youth-led media organization Explained PH shares election do’s and don’ts imposed by the Comelec for candidates and citizens. These infographics shed light on the elections, general restrictions, campaign spending and advertising, and the use of artificial intelligence.
Premature campaigning
In an effort to introduce themselves to voters, some candidates would go ahead and begin holding campaign events even before the official campaign period begins. This is called premature campaigning and is an election offense, according to Section 80 of the Omnibus Election Code.
Election watchdog LENTE, through this video, tells us when candidates are allowed to campaign during the campaign period.
Posters, tarpaulins
Campaigning in the Philippines is known by many to be marked by widespread propaganda work in a bid to boost name-recall of candidates. One of the manifestations of these is the prevalence of illegal campaign materials — typically posters or tarpaulins that catch the public’s attention, but violate the standards set by the Comelec.
What type of printed or published campaign materials are allowed? Watch LENTE explain it in this video.
Aside from the specifications of the campaign materials, the Comelec also regulates where they may be posted. Watch their video here.
Vote-buying
What are the different forms of vote-buying? Check out this set of infographics by Explained PH to find out.
In a comic strip by Explained PH, candidates’ agenda behind vote buying among citizens is illustrated. It is a growing issue that citizens complain about, but only a handful of people file formal complaints. This is why Explained PH urged people to be vigilant, as fair elections can start with the voters.
Government aid
In many communities, citizens have reported the political announcements of local candidates in public spaces. They include not just banners and billboards, but apparent vote solicitation in the guise of programs and government services.
For instance, candidates are prohibited from using the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in handing out ayudas or government aid. However, in a number of cases, candidates still violate this rule. Rappler releases a series of infographics to better discuss this and educate voters on how to report.
Disinformation, AI-generated deep-fake videos
Explained PH and Rappler have also published stories about AI-generated deep-fake videos. In an overview video of Explained PH, it distinguishes AI-generated videos made with AI software from deep fake videos, which overlay faces onto others’ bodies. It also tells netizens that it damages a politician’s image.
Rappler reported the experience of veteran journalist Ruth Cabral in being a victim of deep fake videos, revealing the underdeveloped mechanism of taking down false information online. With this issue, the Comelec has set guidelines on social media use indicating that candidates should disclose any use of AI in their campaign materials.
Meanwhile, through comics, Explained PH also reminds netizens to combat disinformation during this election season. Social media is a powerful tool in campaigning, and in a Rappler report, fake news and misinformation have proven effective for candidates with strong social media.
These comics of Explained PH help netizens verify information they read online.
Rappler, together with #FactsFirstPH partners, is actively monitoring developments related to elections, including election violations. Voters can post reports, comments, and other insights about the May 12, 2025 elections through the Rappler Communities App voter-hotline chat room.
Catch Rappler’s in-depth election coverage at our 2025 Election Site here. To interact with our election reporters, editors, and community engagement specialists, join the philippine-politics chat room. – with reports from Eujuan Rafael Ong & Zebedee Custodio Lucas/Rappler.com
Eujuan Rafael Ong is a Rappler volunteer for MovePH. He is a junior Public Administration student at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He also leads the ‘Fast News’ Section of NCPAG-Umalohokan, the official student publication of the UP NCPAG.
Zebedee Custodio Lucas is a Rappler Volunteer of MovePH. He is a junior Communication Major at the University of Santo Tomas – Manila. He is also a writer of Tiger Media Network, the official broadcasting arm of UST.