The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will only consider the candidates in an interview instead of continuing the presidential and vice-presidential town hall debate format.
The change will occur after the candidates’ scheduled debate on April 30, and May 1 is postponed.
“The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, has announced that the concluding event of the PiliPinas Debates 2022 Series will no longer be Vice-Presidential and Presidential Town Hall Debates,” said Commissioner George Garcia.
“In consideration of the inevitable scheduling conflicts as the candidates approach the homestretch of the campaign period, and as advised by the KBP, the COMELEC will now be adopting a Single Candidate/Team – Panel Interview format,” he continued.
He said such interviews would be aired from May 2 to 6.
“All will be entitled to a 1 hr panel interview,” Garcia said. He said the candidate could attend virtual or face-to-face.
In an interview with GMA News “Unang Balita,” Garcia said the interview can be done one-on-one or even with a “partner” or “tandem.”
KBP will be the Comelec’s partner in the face of the Impact Hub Manila issue, the commission’s partner in previous presidential and vice-presidential debates.
Impact added said Comelec was “not a party to the contract between Impact Hub Manila and Sofitel.”
Comelec replaces debate with interview
“Unfortunately, the initiative between the two private companies encountered some misunderstandings. While there have been incomplete reports as to the cause of the miscommunication, Impact Hub Manila will refrain from publicly divulging these matters and will endeavor to discuss them with Sofitel and other stakeholders privately,” it said.
“Impact Hub Manila does not wish to sidetrack the public from what truly matters. It does not matter where the debates will be held. It only matters that the debates still be held,” it added.
The town hall debates — the final debates before the May 9 election — should have been held on April 23 and 24.
But it was withdrawn on April 30 and May 1 following reports that Impact Hub Manila had not yet completed its payment to the Sofitel Garden Plaza, the subject of debate.
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