With the National and Local Elections approaching this May 2025, GMA Integrated News gears up for its multi-platform coverage through “GMA Masterclass: Road to the 2025 Elections.”
Hosted by award-winning broadcast journalist and 24 Oras Weekend anchor Pia Arcangel, the event was attended by around 200 participants, including anchors, reporters, producers, editors, program and newsroom managers from GMA Integrated News, GMA Regional TV, GMA News Online, and Super Radyo DZBB.
Held last Saturday, February 8, at GMA Network Center, “GMA Masterclass: Road to the 2025 Elections” aims to ensure a comprehensive election coverage through learning sessions on various topics with Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia, Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) Executive Director Atty. Ona Caritos, and GMA Integrated News Research Senior Manager Karen Tiongson-Mayrina.
Atty. Garcia discussed the electoral process from the campaign period to the counting of votes, emphasizing COMELEC’s strict implementation of regulations, particularly those concerning campaign materials and vote buying and selling.
“We have Operation Baklas. Our local COMELEC offices will regularly remove campaign materials to ensure compliance with size limitations and placement in designated public areas,” he said.
Atty. Garcia also highlighted the Commission’s intensified efforts against vote-buying and vote-selling: “Our law department will conduct investigations to determine if charges should be filed against those committing these offenses.”
Atty. Caritos shared LENTE’s observations from past elections and what Filipinos should watch out for in the upcoming midterm polls. “Most probably, the stories, the news that you will have this election would revolve around the distribution of social welfare programs, especially during the campaign period. What we are thankful for to Committee on Kontra Bigay, aside from going after vote buying and vote selling, they will also monitor ASR or abuse of state resources.”
Meanwhile, Tiongson-Mayrina provided a comprehensive analysis of voter demographics, which can be useful for election coverage. “Voter turnout is crucial because being vote-rich is only half the story; it becomes an advantage if registered voters actually vote,” she explained.
Senior Vice President and Head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso underscored GMA Network’s commitment to delivering the most comprehensive and extensive multi-platform election coverage for the upcoming 2025 Midterm Elections.
“Much is at stake this May 2025, and we will do our best with the help of our partners to live up to our commitment to an honest and truthful election coverage with the stories we write and the content we produce — for all Filipinos, for the Philippines, Dapat Totoo,” Amoroso said.
In May 2024, the first leg of the “GMA Masterclass: Road to the 2025 Elections” brought together GMA’s multimedia journalists for a discourse on the upcoming elections and the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on politics. It also featured an on-site demonstration of the MIRU counting machines.
This 2025, GMA Regional TV and Synergy kicked off ‘GMA Masterclass: Eleksyon 2025 Dapat Totoo Series,’ which aims to engage the youth across the Philippines in the fight against misinformation and disinformation. The first leg of the series was held last January 22 to 25 in Mindanao, while the second leg is scheduled on February 17 to 20 in the Visayas.