Erin Devanadera

Manila Standard Writer Vito Barcelo wrote an article about the supposed ban of artificial intelligence for political purposes concerning numerous candidate campaigns for the Philippine Elections this 2025. He also stated that the COMELEC has begun the suspension of fake social media accounts to prevent AI bias and misinformation in the upcoming elections. 
 

CLAIM: COMELEC has now banned AI use for 2025 electoral campaigns. 

RATING: MISLEADING

CONCLUSION: While it is true that the constitutional commission has formulated a ban against AI misuse, it is yet to regulate an absolute ban on other forms of its utilization regarding the elections, especially if it has passed all ethical mandates imposed by the commission. 


Although what Vito Barcelo wrote in the rest of his article is true, his headline and opening remarks can be misleading. 

The COMELEC ban on the misuse of artificial intelligence, which was publicly known on September 19, officiated resolutions to better facilitate the upcoming candidacy and elections, which will require all aspiring election parties and campaign groups to register all digital political footprints such as social media accounts, pages, and websites before the EID (Education and Information Department) office until December 13, 2024. 

In his own words, Barcelo talked about the types of misinformation declared by COMELEC Chairman George Garcia to be prohibited during the candidate and electoral period. 

“He said COMELEC will prohibit three types of visual disinformation to prevent the spread of deceptive content during the campaign period: deep fakes, cheap fakes, and soft flakes,” Barcelo wrote in his article regarding the use of AI in the elections. 

“On our part, we will not absolutely prohibit the use of AI because it can be helpful if it is used properly, but we would like to prevent misinformation, disinformation, and fake news,” Garcia stated as a response to Senator Francis Tolentino’s inquiry about the guidelines for AI utilization published on September 18, Wednesday. 

Simultaneously, NAMFREL (National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections) expressed their support for the ethical use and strategies for transparency and optimization stipulated for all parties and candidates who are looking to utilize such a digital tool for their respective objectives and intent. 

“We are not pursuing active regulation but rather self-regulation by the stakeholders,” said NAMFREL national chairperson Lito Averia on his mutual discussion and conduct with UA&P (the University of Asia and the Pacific) concerning the proposed guidelines for AI use in 2025.