Editor’s Note: The Comelec is already airing its second presidential debate as of 7 pm (Manila time) on Sunday, April 3. For live updates on this debate, visit this page on Rappler. For the livestream, click the YouTube video below.

MANILA, Philippines – The presidential debate series hosted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) continues on Sunday night, April 3.

The face off will feature nine out of the 10 presidential candidates, at the same venue, but with some modifications to its original debate format.

Here are some things to expect:

Mini-debates every segment

Unlike in the first debate, the nine candidates will be divided in groups of three per segment, in an attempt for a more focused face-off among the participants.

Each group will be given a unique question from the theme or topic of that segment.

The groupings, which will be randomly predetermined via the drawing of lots two hours before the debate proper, will change throughout the show, which will have a total of four segments.

“We saw what happened during the first debate. We figured this will be a good opportunity to sharpen the debate,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a press briefing on Thursday, March 31.

A general question will still be asked for all the candidates, but only at the start of the debate. Before the show ends, candidates will each have a minute to make a closing statement.

Longer time limit

Each candidate will have two minutes to answer a question, and another 30 seconds for rebuttal.

This time limit is longer than in the first debate, when candidates were given 90 seconds to answer a question, 30 seconds for a rebuttal, and 30 seconds for a rejoinder.

Another female moderator

After Luchi Cruz-Valdes and Ruth Cabal, veteran broadcast journalist Ces Oreña-Drilon will continue the trend of female moderators headlining the debate.

Oreña-Drilon brings with her nearly four decades of experience in the journalism industry. Like her predecessors in the Comelec’s debate series, she is expected to direct the flow of the debate, and make sure the candidates comply with the time limit.

New topics for discussion

The topics for Sunday night’s presidential debate will revolve around the following:

• foreign relations
• government accountability
• safety and security

Still no appearance from the debate skipper, most likely

Attending the debate on Sunday night are:

• presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella
• labor leader Leody de Guzman
• Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso
• former defense chief Norberto Gonzales
• Senator Ping Lacson
• businessman Faisal Mangondato
• cardiologist Jose Montemayor
• Senator Manny Pacquiao,
• Vice President Leni Robredo

As of Thursday, former senator and dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not made any indications to the Comelec that he will attend the second presidential debate.

He did not attend the first debate because he chose to attend a campaign sortie.

So far, the only debates attended by the survey front-runner were the ones hosted by TV network SMNI, whose owner is Apollo Quiboloy, a preacher wanted by the FBI for alleged sex trafficking of children. Quiboloy has endorsed Marcos Jr. for president.

The poll body is expected to again prepare an empty podium for him to symbolize his absence from the event.

No new sanctions for the debate skipper

The Comelec’s law and education departments are still studying what other sanctions could be imposed against debate skippers, Commissioner George Garcia said on Monday, March 28.

The poll official also called on the new Congress after the election to pass a law requiring candidates to attend the debates.

The Comelec has said that no law authorizes the poll body to compel elective aspirants to attend the highly-anticipated events.

So far, as a sanction, the Comelec has banned debate skippers from its e-rally channel.

Same venue, no audience

The presidential debate will still be held at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City. There will still be no live audience, except for a few companions of the candidates and members of the media.

The Pilipinas Debates 2022 will again be simulcast across several broadcast and online news organizations, including Rappler’s social media channels. – Rappler.com