DESPITE calls for relaxed rules due to the downgrade in alert levels, kissing, selfies, and other traditional campaign activities will remain banned for the rest of the campaign period for the May 9 polls.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said it retained the ban on physical contacts between candidates and the public in their recalibrated in-person campaign guidelines.
“In our resolution, we didn’t remove the ban on arm-to-arm, kissing, selfies. We retained these prohibitions,” Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said in a press conference. “Even if you tell us we are being overprotective, we opted to retain it.”
Under existing guidelines, handshakes, hugs, kisses, going arm-in-arm, or any action that involves physical contact among the candidate, their companions, and the public, as well as taking selfies, and photographs are banned.
Garcia, however, added they loosened restrictions in other aspects of the guidelines.
Under the new rules, a campaign permit from the Comelec Campaign Committees (CCC) will no longer be required in areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2. In the previous in-person campaign guidelines of the Comelec, no election campaign activity can be conducted without first obtaining the prior approval from the corresponding CCC.
The Comelec also agreed to allow 100 percent capacity for venues under Alert Level 1, and 70 percent capacity under Alert Level 2. Previously, areas under Alert Level 1 were allowed up to 70 percent capacity, while areas under Alert Level 2 were permitted up to 50 percent capacity.
“But if the situation goes bad, the Comelec will have to be there to ensure that health protocols are observed and the health of the people is the number priority in terms of the pandemic,” said Garcia.
The Comelec also urged the public to report incidents of alleged violations of the guidelines, saying: “To the public, just continue taking photos of these alleged incidents and report them to authorities.”
Violations of the in-person campaigning guidelines are considered an election offense.
