MANILA — Disinformation, “deep fake” and other forms of artificial intelligence-use, cybersecurity threat, the unabated use of state funds, vote-buying, and political dynasties are some of the major threats that both the government and election watchdogs need to combat.

This scenario for next year’s elections in the Philippines was pictured by both local and international watchdogs, as they underlined the need to strengthen the need to protect and guard the would be votes of the electorate.

Tharindu Damith Abeyrathna, senior program officer and campaign advocacy of ANFER (Asian Network for Free Elections) said the Philippine elections’ biggest challenge next year would be “disinformation,” which is being worsened by Filipinos’ penchant for social media.

“The Filipinos are always online. Filipinos are used mostly online media and Filipinos use social media across the globe, that they are very much exposed to digital threat and misinformation and disinformation. That’s s why it’s also important to discuss,” Tharindu said.

Tharindu’s said the Philippines should enter a “collaboration” with other Asian countries to guard its electorate against misinformation and disinformation.

The ANFER official, during his presentation, also pointed out the need for the Philippines to protect its interests against “cyber-security threat” and come up with strong steps to stop the “abuse” of state resources’ use during election period, from the local to national levels.   

“That is not a new thing in Asia and South East Asia. In Indonesia” Tharindu stressed.

One way to combat this form of abuse he said, is for civil society groups to actively publicize reports of State fund use during elections.

For Atty. Luie Tito Guia, co-founder of Democracy Insights Group on the other hand enumerates the “Current Challenges to Democratic in the Philippines” which are the following:

•     Dysfunctional Information Environment (due to Multiverse of Information and International and Foreign Influence operation)

•     Influence of Money in Politics (Black and Grey Money; Abuse of State Resources; Voter Bribery)

•     Identity Politics and Polarization

•     Lack of Access and Inclusion/Election Competitiveness (includes access to reliable information and freedom of choice)

•     Election Safety and Security

•     Cyber-attack vulnerability of Tech-enhanced electoral processes)

•     Credible Election Dispute Resolution

•     Antiquated Legal Framework

•     Weak and/or Threatened Democratic Institutions (COMELEC; Political Parties; Media; CSOs (civil society organizations), EMOs (election management organizations); Business and Private Sector; Law Enforcement)

“Even aspiring local candidates are engaging local influencers... to make a headway in the election,” Guia said.

Guia’s warned that failure to address these issues would result in seeing an electoral process that will only “become a tool for perpetuation of power by an authoritarian leader and the ruling elite.”

Issues like high prices of basic commodities; corruption; social services, disaster resiliency, accountability on the drug war and media killings and the tension in the West Philippine Sea, are the main issues that the people and our country really need to be answered by leaders, Guia said.

“The issue here is that, will the 2025 elections use a government that would address substantially all of these issues?... will the 2025 elections which I think is more important, increase the democratic, the people’s trust on democracy and electoral processes as the primary avenue for social ills?” Guia asked.   

Next year’s elections must also alert the public to constantly watch the “actors” in the would-be electoral exercise.

And they are the candidates, big business and their “donations”; the Comelec; media entities and the influencers; big technology and the international interest, Guia said.

Meantime, even the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao elections next year must also be monitored closely, according to Sam Chittick, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation-Philippines which is a “Third Party Monitoring Team.”

In the BARMM election, the “voice and influence” of the President  is very important, Chittick said.

The vigilance must also include monitoring how candidate and their camps are using the technology to manipulate their intended message to the electorate, Chittick stressed

“So we should try to encourage broad people participation,” Chittick stressed.

Septiaji Eko Nugroho, chairperson of MAFINDO, an election watchdog in Indonesia, meantime underlined the seriousness of “deep fake” use during the election period, by showing a clip of then Indonesian President Joko Widodo delivering his speech in Chinese. 

Septiaji said Widodo for a fact, does not know how to speak Chinese.

Min Hsuan Wu, co-founder and CEO of Doublethink Lab based in Taiwan also showed the aggressive production of “fake public opinion” in social media against their president Trai Ing-wen; including a “coordinated authentic behavior” where a bunch of Taiwanese with social media accounts were projected as assailing their leader without them knowing it.

“We found out there’s a bunch of fake Taiwanese  accounts.. we found a lot of FB page... no admin (administrator) is located in Taiwan. Majority of them are from Cambodia,” Min said.

They said the problem must be addressed by nations concerned together.

ENCOURAGE THE YOUTH TO RUN

Among the attendees in the two-day election review event sponsored by the Legal Network for Truthful Elections or LENTE, former Elections Chairman, Atty. Christian Monsod who is now chairperson of Network for Truthful Elections-Philippines challenged legislators to pass the “Anti-Dynasty Law” and amend the Party-list Law, specifically by removing the phrase “track record of advocacies,” to prevent the rich and influential in misrepresenting the marginalized sectors like those of the tricycle drivers.

Groups promoting electoral reforms must also help in encouraging the youth to run for public office and really serve, Monsod said.

“You must put yourself into service, not with those who make history but those who suffer. Please point out to the people that they have the sovereignty of power with the help of church. We should nurture the young to run in the barangay elections, then municipalities, then provinces, then nation. They must persevere through as a long distance runner,” he added.

The entry of young public servants, will eventually rid the nation with traditional politicians and those who come from political dynasties, Monsod said.