THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will no longer hold presidential and vice presidential town hall debates due to conflicting campaign schedules of the candidates, commissioner George Garcia said on Monday, April 25, 2022.
Garcia said the Comelec, in partnership with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, will instead adopt a single candidate/team panel interview, which will be held from May 2 to 6.
"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," Garcia said.
“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 added.
Garcia said the panel interview, which can be in person or through online, will last for only an hour for each interviewee.
On Friday, April 22, Garcia announced the postponement of the town hall debates originally scheduled on April 23 and 24. It was moved to April 30 and May 1.
This came after the Comelec received a complaint from the management of Sofitel Garden Plaza about the yet-to-be-completed payment of venue fees supposedly from Impact Hub Manila, the Comelec’s contractor for the debates. (SunStar Philippines)