Expect all 6 VP bets to go head-to-head – debate organizers

Mara Cepeda

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Expect all 6 VP bets to go head-to-head – debate organizers

LeAnne Jazul

The April 10 vice presidential debate follows a 'dual moderator and town hall' format, with the candidates answering queries from two moderators, a 3-person panel, and pre-selected audience members

MANILA, Philippines – Organizers of the only vice presidential debate to be hosted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured a rich, colorful exchange among the candidates when they face off on Sunday, April 10.

“We’ve researched the stand of each of the candidates and we’d be able to pit them against each other depending on the contrasting views they have,” Pal Marquez, CNN Philippines vice president for news and current affairs,  told Rappler on Friday, April 8.

Marquez said senators Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II, and Antonio Trillanes IV; and Camarines Sur Third District Representative Leni Robredo are all attending the debate on Sunday. 

It is being organized by the Comelec together with CNN Philippines, BusinessMirror, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, and the University of Santo Tomas (UST). 

The debate, to be held inside the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, will follow a “dual moderator and town hall” format. 

Topics to be discussed include the following:

  • Corruption
  • Poverty
  • Political dynasties
  • Human rights
  • Peace and order
  • Traffic and other urban problems
  • Internet connectivity
  • Foreign policy
  • The issue of the vice president being a “spare tire”

CNN Philippines will air the debate live from 5 pm to 7:30 pm, but other news organizations will also be allowed to live stream the program in their respective websites. 

This comes after the Supreme Court voted 14-0 to partially grant Rappler’s petition to stop Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista from restricting online access to the debates. (READ: Comelec chair discriminated vs Internet-based media – Leonen)

The High Court ruled that the vice presidential debate on April 10 and the last presidential debate on April 24 can now be “shown or live streamed unaltered in petitioner’s and other websites subject to the copyright condition that the source is clearly indicated.”

Debate format

Marquez explained that every vice presidential hopeful will be asked questions by two moderators, a 3-person panel from the media organizers, and selected members of the audience, whose questions will be pre-screened. 

The debate will be moderated by CNN Philippines’ Pia Hontiveros and Pinky Webb, while the panel includes John Mangun of BusinessMirror, and CNN Philippines correspondents Yna Andolong and David Santos. 

At the start of the debate, every candidate will be given one minute and 45 seconds to answer the question, “What will define your vice presidency?”

During the program’s 8 segments, Marquez said the moderators, panelists, and audience members will be given a chance to ask their queries, though he did not specify the exact order of questioning. 

Candidate A will be given a minute and 30 seconds to answer a question directed at him or her. 

When Candidate A’s answer involves Candidate B or his or her standard-bearer, the moderators will give Candidate B a minute to reply, rebut, or comment.

Other candidates may also join the discussion. 

“If you want to add, even if you are not alluded to and you want to add to the conversation, you may. It’s the discretion of the moderator if they feel it will enrich the [ongoing] conversation,” said Marquez. 

Seating arrangement

A total of 4,100 people will be able to watch the VP debate inside the debate hall. 

Each candidate will be allotted 165 seats – 15 for members of their campaign team to be seated near the stage, and 150 for supporters to be seated on the bleachers.

Seats will also be reserved for the Comelec, UST students and faculty members, and representatives of various civil society groups. 

About 2,500 seats on the top bleachers area will be open for the public on a first come, first served basis.

Unlike the first two presidential debates, the organizers will neither hand out tickets for the general public nor will they set up monitors outside the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion for those who cannot secure a seat inside the venue.  

Live streaming and media access to venue

According to Marquez, other media entities will be given a copy of the CNN Philippines YouTube channel’s embed code after signing a form agreeing to the TV network’s guidelines for online streaming. 

These include restrictions on deleting or editing the live stream video, and the removal of advertisements, logos, and other graphics of CNN Philippines. 

All news organizations are also allowed to use two-minute excerpts from the live stream in every published report. Photos from the debate hall will be provided by the Comelec and BusinessMirror. 

Other news outlets will be given 3 seats inside the debate hall, where the journalists can live tweet the event using their smartphones.  

They will be allowed to take and tweet photos using their phones, but video taking will be restricted. Journalists from other media networks will not be allowed to bring recording devices, broadcast equipment, and cameras inside the debate hall. – Rappler.com

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Mara Cepeda

Mara Cepeda specializes in stories about politics and local governance. She covers the Office of the Vice President, the Senate, and the Philippine opposition. She is a 2021 fellow of the Asia Journalism Fellowship and the Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship of the UN. Got tips? Email her at mara.cepeda@rappler.com or tweet @maracepeda.