Photo credit: Marc Gamboa

It seems like the 2024 elections are getting a major dose of social media energy as more and more content creators are joining the political fray. Leading the charge is vlogger Marc Gamboa, who’s known for racking up over 100 million views on YouTube. He made his candidacy for senator official by submitting his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at The Manila Hotel on October 1, 2024.

Marc says he’s running to be a voice for vloggers, content creators, online sellers, and freelancers, aiming to bring the concerns of the digital community to the Senate floor. “It’s time we have a representative who truly understands the industry,” he shared in an interview, clearly passionate about giving his peers a stronger platform.

Meanwhile, social media sensation Rosmarie “Rosmar” Tan-Pamulaklakin is also throwing her hat into the ring. While she wasn’t initially planning to run, she revealed that she was convinced by supporters to seek a councilor position in the first district of Manila. “Mas marami raw po akong matutulungan kapag nakaposisyon,” Rosmar said with a smile during a recent interview. “Wala naman po talaga akong balak, pero kung makakatulong ako, bakit hindi?”

Another familiar face lending support is vlogger Boss Toyo, who made headlines not for running himself, but for backing his friend, independent aspirant Joseph Lumbad, who is eyeing a seat in Manila’s 1st District. The two were spotted together as Lumbad filed his candidacy, showing the camaraderie and solidarity that’s often seen in the content creator community.

With names like these entering the political scene, it’ll be interesting to see how they shake things up. Can they convert their online influence into votes? One thing’s for sure—this election is about to get a lot more interesting.