Senatorial bets trend on Twitter after end of campaign period

MANILA, Philippines – Is Tweeting considered campaigning?

The campaign period for national and local races closed on Saturday, May 7. But on Sunday, May 8, it seemed there was no stopping some senatorial candidates and their camps, who continued to campaign. 

Senatorial candidate Leila de Lima started trending on Saturday, May 7 – the day of the miting de avance – with 1Pinas For DeLima. The former justice secretary was present at presidential candidate Mar Roxas’ miting de avance in Quezon City. 

We are for De Lima!

1Pinas For DeLima pic.twitter.com/ehKCdPCzUe

— De Lima Defenders (@DeLima_Defender) May 7, 2016

She continued to trend the following day with Senator DeLima.

Senator DeLima trending at #4 in PHL trend as of 1:20 PM pic.twitter.com/B0vzkaNcvh

— Bradd Raymondd (@BraddRaymondd) May 8, 2016

According to social listening tool Reach that tracked the conversation, the discussion generated over 10,000 posts from 3 pm to 11 pm of May 8, garnering over 8 million impressions. “Impressions” means the number of times people have seen the tweet on their feed.

Here is what the community looks like when mapped or visualized:

The camp of the “justice without fear or favor” candidate also held a Twitter party a day before the elections. A quick look at her timeline indicates De Lima continued to campaign on her social accounts. 

De Lima was not the only one who tweeted self-promotions.

Senatorial candidate Francis Tolentino encouraged people to vote and then wrote #AlerTolentino and #TulongTino, which are his official campaign hashtags. 

Kaya bukas, May 9, makiisa tayo sa gawaing ito.#ALERTOlentino #TulongTino #Halalan2016 #VotePH2016 #PHVote pic.twitter.com/gYIS3Xwp9X

— Francis Tolentino (@ALERTolentino) May 8, 2016

Teofisto “TG” Guingona III also tweeted a photo of a bus with a “Let’s go na, Guingona!” 

Salamat sa lakbay. 🙂#LetsGoNaGuingona pic.twitter.com/qj7e2SjEoQ

— Senator TG Guingona (@TgGuingona) May 8, 2016

Meanwhile, senatorial candidates Mark Lapid, Martin Romualdez, Neri Colmenares, Win Gatchalian, and Vic Sotto quoted or retweeted a tweet from their supporters encouraging other people to vote for them. 

maraming salamat po! https://t.co/fyuXDDH5cz

— Mark Lapid (@marklapid2016) May 8, 2016

Thank you @Senyora! Kasama na sya sa #TeamMalasakit! #malasakit #43saSenado https://t.co/NblhnVgEJi

— Martin Romualdez (@MartinRomualdez) May 8, 2016

Is it acceptable for candidates to campaign on social media even during the election ban? Do you think retweeting is considered campaigning? Tell us what you think by tweeting us at @rapplerdotcom or writing on X.

Have you spotted any election violations? Report to #PHVoteWatch. – Rappler.com