This 2022, you cared most about the elections

MANILA, Philippines – This year’s presidential elections mobilized Filipinos’ hopes and fears, gaining the most eyeballs on social media in 2022.

Using social monitoring platform Crowdtangle, Rappler tracked the top five Rappler posts on Facebook and Instagram this year and found that all of them were videos and livestreams on the May 9, 2022 elections.

High interest built up days before D-Day and all the way to when the vote count began and when presidential bets Leni Robredo and Manny Pacquiao conceded.

1. Robredo addresses supporters after election day

687,038 reactions
145,256 comments
53,480 shares
8,213,269 views

The winner of the 2022 presidential race on May 9 already became apparent in the first few hours of the count.

As then-candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintained a 47% ratio against then-vice president Leni Robredo, “kakampink” supporters waited for the official statement from Robredo’s camp.

Around 10 pm, two hours after the first returns were released, the then-vice president’s camp went “radio silent.”

It was two hours after midnight when Robredo finally went live. She thanked all her supporters, and acknowledged that for some people the results may seem unacceptable in the face of voting irregularities.

While she did not categorically concede to Marcos in her speech, Robredo acknowledged that the country’s choice was clear.

“Palinaw na nang palinaw ang tinig ng taumbayan. Sa ngalan ng Pilipinas na alam kong mahal na mahal ninyo, kailangan nating pakinggan ang tinig na ito dahil sa huli, iisa lang ang bayang pinagsasaluhan natin.”

(The people’s voice is becoming clearer. For the sake of the Philippines, a country we all love, we need to hear this voice. In the end, we all share one nation.)

Robredo ended her speech with hope and a call to action. “Walang nasayang, hindi tayo nabigo. Pinakamahalaga, hindi pa tayo tapos. Nagsisimula pa lang tayo. May landas na nagbukas at hindi ito magsasara kasabay ng mga presinto.”

(Nothing was wasted. We did not fail. Most importantly, we are not yet done. We are only beginning. A path opened up and this will not close alongside the polling precincts.)

By the end of the year, this 13-minute livestream became Rappler’s top interacted post on Facebook, garnering 8,213,269 views and 687,038 reactions.

2. Can Marcos break the Bicol vote?

519,760 reactions
35,176 comments
31,071 shares
11,594,670 views

When counting votes ahead of the elections, a candidate’s province or region is naturally considered a vote base. This influences ideal tandems, campaign schedules, and strategies.

Hailing from Naga, Camarines Sur, Robredo counted on the support of Bicol region’s 3,910,261 voters. But what if Marcos breaks the Bicol vote? He was the frontrunner in surveys, with a significant lead against Bicol’s Robredo.

In this video report, Rappler reporter Lian Buan explained that Marcos targeted neutral grounds Sorsogon and Masbate where he had allied with the governors.

Released two months before the elections, the vlog tackled how solid Robredo’s bailiwick is, and how the optics of motorcades, grand rallies, and influence of endorsements affect candidates’ ability to secure or sway votes.

3. Marcos’ speech at miting de avance

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44,808 comments
22,649 shares
4,618,323 views

Just two days before the elections, Marcos and running mate Sara Duterte held a miting de avance in Parañaque City.

In the livestream of the event that ranked third in Rappler’s top most interacted posts, the audience were heard to be chanting, “Panalo ka na! Panalo ka na!” (You already won!) as Marcos went onstage.

During his speech, Marcos insinuated the cheating allegations in the 2016 vice presidential race.

“Mananalo talaga tayo basta’t walang tulugan sa Lunes para hindi na tayo madisgrasya ulit! Alam naman po natin kapag ka naiwanan natin kung minsan, maraming nangyayari na hindi kanais-nais.”

(We will win if we don’t sleep on Monday. We all know that once we look away, some unfortunate things can happen.)

Until the end of his campaign, Marcos was consistent with his camp’s message of unity.

“At ang ating mga kababayan, kayo po lahat ay napakadalisay ‘nyo para maunawaan ang pagkakaisa dahil nasa inyo ang puso ng tunay na Pilipino.” (You are all so pure so as to understand the meaning of unity. You have the heart of a true Filipino.)

Marcos’ 19-minute miting de avance speech garnered half a million reactions and 4,618,323 views on Facebook.

4. Pacquiao concedes

510,563 reactions
31,236 comments
25,369 shares
6,110,217 views

The day after elections, then-senator Manny Pacquiao conceded the presidential race to Marcos.

In a short recorded video that garnered six million views, Pacquiao expressed his desire to see Filipinos better off under the new administration. He promised to continue his efforts to help others through his foundation.

The boxing legend finished third in the race with 3,629,805 votes, after Robredo and Marcos.