Bataluna, Thomas Jay D.

Disinformation, Disruption, and the Shifting Media Ecosystem in

the 2022 Philippines Election
Summary of Event:

COVID-19 restrictions posed limitations to electoral candidates’ campaign events in the

Philippines. Candidates have found it challenging to hold in-person campaign events due to
government lockdowns. Because of these restrictions on mass gatherings and the fact that more
than 90% of Filipinos use the internet through social media, candidates are highly reliant on
social media to win over voters. Accelerating to move away from traditional media toward social
media, information became freely available, but not always accurate. The new media
environment is prone for disinformation campaigns, which candidates and their followers are
increasingly using in place of more conventional media strategies.

Reaction:

Social media played an integral role during the presidential elections in the Philippines. It
accelerates the exchange of information, thus making it a more convenient way compared to
traditional television and print media. By enabling someone with thousands of followers to
instantaneously share information, social media became a double-edged sword in educating the
society. Although people can directly access that information, it also means that these are prone
to falsified statements. Unlike traditional media which has appropriate research, not everything
one sees on social media is backed with facts. In my perspective, I’d say that the cumulative
effect of such is disadvantageous to us Filipinos. By choosing a candidate based on
disinformation, people may be blinded by the lies and elect someone not suitable for the position.

Reference:

Grounds, K. G., & Koff, M. K. (2022, May 5). Disinformation, Disruption, and the Shifting
Media Ecosystem in the 2022 Philippines Election. Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.
Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.asiapacific.ca/publication/election
watch-philippines-dispatch-4-social-media-use