THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said there will be no changes in guidelines on physical campaigning despite the shift of the National Capital Region (NCR) and 38 other areas to Level 1 of the alert system for COVID-19 response.
Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said there is no need for the poll body to relax its guidelines which contain calibrated protocols on in-person campaigning.
“As far as everything else is concerned in the campaign, we are already at minimum health protocols. We are doing the barest minimum necessary to keep everyone safe,” said Jimenez.
“We will continue with our guidelines as they are… our guidelines are calibrated. It means it is responsive to the changes in the alert level of the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases),” he added.
He cited as example the lifting of the mandatory use of face shields during campaign activities.
“The use of face shield is only voluntary. Under IATF rules, Level 1 still includes the voluntary use of face shields,” Jimenez said.
He also said the Comelec still does not allow a full capacity of campaign event venues.
“It maxes at 70 percent%. We want to keep… We still don’t want to do 100%. Obviously, there is still a pandemic. Only, we are at Alert Level 1,” he said.
Beginning today, the National Capital Region will be under Alert Level 1, wherein full operating, seating, venue capacity of industries, establishments, and public transportation is allowed.
Also placed in the least restrictive alert level until March 15 are 38 provinces and cities across the country.
Meanwhile, the Comelec is looking to sign a memorandum of understanding with the camps of all presidential and vice presidential bets in a bid to ensure that all the candidates are aware of the rules of its forthcoming debate series.
The Comelec is set to conduct a debate series for presidential and vice presidential candidates, with the first to be held on March 19.
Jimenez said among issues that Comelec will take up with the candidates’ camps are the general topics of the debates.
“We would like the debates to be fair. Every candidate will get the opportunity to do whatever research they need in preparation for the debates as they will be given general topics,” said Jimenez.
He also said the guidelines will include the preservation of their scribbled notes during the debates.
“If they are scribbling notes, they won’t be thrown afterwards. That will literally be presidential records. So these will be preserved as property of the Comelec,” said Jimenez.
