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Smart real-time coverage by Rappler of the first-ever presidential debate will combine snappy, relevant, updates, context and analysis, fact-checking, and a live mood meter on the Rappler presidential debate site starting at 4 pm, Sunday, February 21.
Our debate page will also capture real-time sentiment from our mood meter, where readers can click Happy, Inspired, Angry, Annoyed, or Don't Care.
Five presidential candidates – Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, former interior secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago– are attending the first leg of the debates organized in part by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). (READ: All 5 presidential bets attending Mindanao debate – Comelec)
The Binay camp said he is ready to "throw all punches." Roxas, on the other hand, is "A-Game prepared," according to his spokesperson. While Poe was a college debater, she admitted being "nervous" about today's event. Defensor-Santiago, who's battling lung cancer, will be in her "best fighting form" during the debate, according to his camp. Duterte, meanwhile, prepared for the face-off by addressing his weakness: staying within time limits.
The two-hour debate, which will be held at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City, will have 4 rounds of questions covering topics of national interest like Mindanao, development and poverty, peace and order, the Constitution, and a candidate's track record. It will be aired live by GMA7 and the Philippine Daily Inquirer starting at 5 pm and will run until 7 pm.
The Comelec, through a Memorandum of Agreement, has allowed the two media companies to have exclusive rights over the event. Rappler has asked the Supreme Court to lift this exclusivity in a petition filed last Friday, February 19.
On Sunday, Rappler journalists and experts from partner-organizations will provide context, informed commentary, and will fact-check the candidates as they make their pronouncements. We invite you to chime in via our partners, Twitter and Facebook, or the comments section. You can also vote on our mood meter, share stories, pictures and video, and be part of our coverage.
Rappler will be your invaluable companion in making better sense of the debate, connecting with the community you care about, helping you choose the leader you want.
Our reporters, volunteers and production specialists are in Cagayan de Oro to show crowd and community reaction to the debate.
They will be joined by experts who will be part of our online discussions: environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa, sociologist Nicole Curato, Jayeel Cornelio of the Ateneo Development Studies Program, Professor Michael Labayandoy of Lyceum Laguna, urban planner and geographer David Garcia, Bantay.ph co-founder Happy Ferraren, Evan Tan of the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and Rappler columnist Ana Santos.
Wherever you watch the presidential debate this Sunday come to Rappler to better understand the issues and help shape the vote on May 9, 2016. – Rappler.com