Research

As the national university, we champion and support innovative research that addresses the country’s most pressing challenges.

15 Dec 2025

The Abaknon’s use of local knowledge to conserve natural resources and adapt to climate change is sustainable

The Abaknon, an indigenous group in Capul Island, possesses unique traditional knowledge and practices that have enabled them to adapt...

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12 Dec 2025

Aggression increases an athlete’s risk of injury

The role of sports, particularly combat sports, in controlling aggression and shaping prosocial behaviors in young people remains unclear. The...

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10 Dec 2025

Luzon provinces are hotspots for severe depression, anxiety, and stress among emerging adults

Despite the enactment of the Philippine Mental Health Act, mental illness remains a significant public health concern, particularly among young...

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05 Dec 2025

Researchers pioneer the use of topological data analysis for Filipino Sign Language alphabet recognition

This research aims to improve recognition of Filipino Sign Language (FSL) letters, which is crucial for better communication in the...

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04 Dec 2025

The risk of measles is higher on warmer days

This study looks at how measles spreads in certain areas of the Philippines, specifically Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and MIMAROPA, using...

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03 Dec 2025

Ang moral na ligalig ng Agosto-Setyembre taong 1995 ay nakasandal sa ilang istereotipo sa mga rakistang banda

Ang saliksik na ito ay pumapaksa sa kasaysayan ng moral na ligalig (moral panic) noong Agosto-Setyembre taong 1995 kung saan...

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02 Dec 2025

New method can authenticate Philippine stingless bee honey, considered the “next superfood”

Stingless bee honey is gaining recognition as a superfood because of its exceptional health and therapeutic benefits, which rival—or even...

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01 Dec 2025

Family interactions and experiences at school and home strongly shape the psychological traits of pre-service teachers

Mental health research has been a key priority among higher education institutions globally to support the advocacy for the holistic...

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28 Nov 2025

The efficiency with which Robusta coffee farms convert inputs into outputs declines at higher elevations

This article explains the factors that affect the productivity and efficiency of the Robusta coffee farms in Sultan Kudarat, Philippines....

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27 Nov 2025

Emotions are vital resources for queer rights activists when they lobby for social reforms

The article analyzes queer rights activists in the Philippines as they demand social reforms. It highlights emotions as these activists...

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26 Nov 2025

The service convenience of live broadcast shopping increases impulse buying by boosting perceived value and e-trust

With the growth of social media and social media marketing, it is natural that the hospitality and tourism industry should...

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25 Nov 2025

Time can only be accessed around a particular set of times

To measure time is to measure a clock. Historically, to ask “how long before harvest?” or “when will the festival...

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Research

This study estimates the number of social media influencers on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube, and the amount of money spent on them during the 2022 Philippine presidential elections. We used an interdisciplinary approach combining qualitative social science research, computational methods, and economic modelling. Our close and in-depth examination of social media channels and interviews with influencers, campaign managers and staff, and political and advertising consultants revealed a high demand for influencers to campaign for political candidates. Meanwhile, through computational methods, we identified 1,425 influencer accounts across the four platforms that were engaging in covert or under-the-radar ways of campaigning for politicians on their channels. Finally, through economic modeling, we estimated that at least $27 million was spent on influencers, if they were paid per post online (pay-per-post compensation model), or $10.9 million if influencers were commissioned within a specific time period and paid a fixed price (retainer model). Our work also serves as a model for election research and policy that can be employed to examine online political campaigns in different contexts.

This article presents a conceptual and methodological framework for defining the boundaries of the constantly evolving field of political campaigns, with influencers as exemplary covert political campaigners. It builds on early research that focuses on political influencers and the mediatization of politics. A critical contribution of the research is its interdisciplinary methodology that integrates qualitative social science and computational communication methods, which is uncommon in communication research (see Ophir et al., 2020). Our contribution also extends its empirical utility using economic modeling. This article serves as a model for both election research and election policy by providing a modular framework that addresses gaps in knowledge about the scope, scale, and cost of covert influence operations specific to each country or regional context.

Authors: Fatima Gaw (Northwestern University), Jon Benedik A. Bunquin (University of Oregon | University of the Philippines Diliman), Jose Mari H. Lanuza (University of Massachusetts Amherst | University of the Philippines Manila), Samuel I. Cabbuag (Hong Kong Baptist University | University of the Philippines Diliman), Noreen H. Sapalo (University of the Philippines Diliman) and Al-Habbyel Yusoph (Bocconi University)

Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448241312191

Image by Gert Altmann from Pixabay