Senator Revilla’s Facebook Popularity: An Analysis During the EDSA Busway Incident
In the Philippines, it has become increasingly important for politicians to establish and maintain a strong social media presence. Any actions that deviate from their expected responsibility as public figures are highly likely to draw attention. Any actions that deviate from their expected responsibilities as public figures are highly likely to garner attention, especially if they are involved in controversial issues. However, it is a different matter to be mentioned in an issue where one is not directly involved, as is the case with Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and the recent incident on the EDSA busway. Capstone-Intel Corporation undertook a study to assess the nature of the discussions surrounding Senator Revilla on social media, specifically during the period coinciding with the incident. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency. Background On November 15th, a traffic enforcer from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) stopped two vehicles for utilizing the EDSA northbound busway in front of SM Megamall in Mandaluyong. According to regulations, the drivers were liable to be fined P5,000 for their first offense. However, the MMDA personnel made the decision to release the vehicles without imposing the penalty after one of the drivers claimed that it belonged to Senator “Bong” Revilla. Retired Colonel Edison “Bong” Nebrija, MMDA Task Force Special Operations Unit head, has been placed under suspension due to reports indicating that he made statements suggesting that Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla was present in one of the vehicles seized along the bus lane, which was allegedly owned by him. The EDSA busway is specifically designated for the exclusive use of city buses, public utility buses, ambulances, and government emergency response vehicles. Subsequently, following the admission of the two drivers, it was revealed that the senator was not present in the vehicle and that the vehicle did not belong to him. In the end, both drivers who falsely implicated Sen. Revilla were duly issued citation tickets, carrying a penalty of P5,000. Methodology From August 20, 2023 to November 20, 2023, Capstone-Intel utilized its social listening tools in order to scan publicly available Facebook accounts for their posts that mention “Bong Revilla”. It should be noted that there were no specific demographics or personal data that were tracked. Throughout the duration of the scan, there was a notable increase in public engagement and sentiments surrounding the story related to the senator. Facebook performance Capstone-Intel’s social listening tool was able to gather a total of 1,270 unique posts on Facebook that mention Revilla or at least are about him. Among these posts are a total of 489,661 comments, as well as shares with a count of up to 72,248. Finally, these posts also have a consolidated reaction count of 1,353,094. Dominant reaction, top stories The story with the highest engagement score of 33,594.8 was posted by the official Facebook page of Revilla. Their page, dubbed Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., posted the live stream of the conversation between Revilla and MMDA Task Force Special Operations Unit Head Col. Bong Nebrija. In the stream, Nebrija was seen apologizing to the senator for the events that happened. This post was able to garner 79, 836 (63.5 percent) Like reactions, 10,654 (8.5 percent) Love reactions, 33,222 (26.4 percent) Haha reactions, 678 (0.5 percent) Wow reactions, 452 (0.4 percent) Sad reactions, and 863 (0.7 percent) Angry reactions. For the second highest engagement score of 7,753, goes to TV Patrol’s post on Facebook regarding the same event involving Nebrija and Revilla. This post was able to receive 33,827 (60.8 percent) Like reactions, 499 (0.9 percent) Love reactions, 20,719 (37.2 percent) Haha reactions, 264 (0.5 percent) Wow reactions, 125 (0.2) Sad reactions, and 246 (0.4 percent) Angry reactions. Finally, the third most engaged story on Facebook is attributed to a post from GMA News, wherein the story narrates Revilla appealing to President Bongbong Marcos to reconsider MTRCB’s decision regarding the noontime show, Showtime. The engagement score adds up to 3,800. This post was able to garner 15,646 (60 percent) Like reactions, 4,070 (15.6 percent) Love reactions, 6,004 (23 percent) Haha reactions, 155 (0.6 percent) Wow reactions, 46 (0.2 percent) Sad reactions, and 144 (0.6 percent) Angry reactions.
Forgotten? Data shows losing presence, discussion of ‘Maguindanao Massacre’ in PH social media landscape
A recent social listening study conducted by Capstone-Intel revealed that the Maguindanao Massacre, one of the most tragic events that challenged the Philippine justice system and the press, has been losing its presence across the Philippine social media landscape. For its 14th year, the research agency conducted a backtracking of posts about the Maguindanao Massacre and analyzed how it’s being talked about online by Filipino social media users. Capstone-Intel Corporation is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency. Background On November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan, in the then-undivided Maguindanao province (now Maguindanao del Sur), in Mindanao, a mass grave containing bodies was discovered. This bloody event was known as the Maguindanao massacre or the Ampatuan massacre. After being abducted, the 58 victims were killed while en route to present a certificate of candidacy for Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu. As part of the 2010 national elections, Mangudadatu was running against Andal Ampatuan Jr., the mayor of Datu Unsay, who happens to be the son of the current Maguindanao governor, Andal Ampatuan Sr. Additionally, Mangudadatu belonged to one of the major Muslim political clans in Mindanao. In addition to journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were either witnesses or falsely recognized as being in the convoy, Mangudadatu’s wife and his two sisters were among those slain. The Maguindanao massacre is the deadliest occurrence for journalists in history, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Known fatalities from the massacre include at least 32 journalists. The Philippines was ranked as the second-most hazardous country for journalists by the Committee to Protect Journalists, after Iraq, even before the Maguindanao tragedy. Methodology Capstone-Intel examined the Maguindanao Massacre’s online presence for one year, from November 23, 2022, to November 23, 2023, by utilizing all publicly accessible posts from social and non-social media platforms in order to gather the sentiments of the public about the Maguindanao Massacre. Facebook Performance Capstone-Intel found that the Maguindanao Massacre garnered a 12,490.2 engagement score for its 400 total post count, which yielded over 35,578 total reaction counts. When broken down, “Facebook like” accounts for 65.5 percent of the total reactions, with 23,317. Followed by “Facebook sad” with 5,97 reactions (16.8 percent), “Facebook love” with 5,554 (15.8 percent), “Facebook haha” with 501 (1.4 percent), “Facebook angry” with 146 (0.4 percent), and “Facebook wow” with 89 (0.3 percent). Looking at the data, the majority of “Facebook like” and “Facebook sad” reactions can be attributed to several Filipinos sympathizing and honoring the lives lost during the massacre. However, by looking at the engagement score, it can be seen that it only generated small traction, which can be noted as even though Filipinos still remember the tragic event, it is no longer given enough emphasis or focus by users for it to be a widely-discussed topic across the country. Online mentions Capstone-Intel likewise revealed that the Maguindanao Massacre got 88 percent negative mentions, and the remaining 12 percent were positive mentions. It is also worth noting that the Maguindanao Massacre received 724,000 social media reach while its non-social media reach yielded over 339,000 non-social media mentions, initiating only 428 user interactions. Aside from these mentions, the majority of the context of discussion for the Maguindanao Massacre talks about the safety of Filipino workers, including journalists, and impunity, among others. Top posts The top post for the Maguindanao Massacre was a video explainer from Rappler discussing the story of the Maguindanao Massacre, receiving a 1,679.4 engagement score. This was followed by a historical poster from Rappler featuring the bloody massacre in Maguindanao. This post yielded a total of 337.3 engagement score. The third most engaging post for the Maguindanao Massacre was a news post from SunStar Davao, which also looks back at the Maguindanao Massacre, yielding a total of 231.0 engagement score. Looking at the top post and the engagement it translated, it can be emphasized that the news is the primary driver for discussion of the Maguindanao Massacre; however, the topic’s news performance was not enough to generate enough discussion to uplift the presence of the historical massacre that took place in the country 14 years ago. With the weight of the controversy in the Philippines, the engagement and presence it produced over a year of backtracking can be undeniably looked at as few compared to other national issues the country faced.
Analyzing Public Sentiment: NLEX Receives Overwhelming Support from Online Users
NLEX or the North Luzon Expressway, is widely recognized as a heavily traversed route utilized by millions of motorists on a daily basis. This presents a significant advantage in terms of facilitating expedited journeys to various destinations. Given the importance of this infrastructure, Capstone-Intel Corporation undertook an in-depth analysis to ascertain the true public sentiment surrounding its utilization. Capstone-Intel is a high-impact research company that uses innovative research technologies, tools, and methods to convert data and information into breakthrough insights and actionable intelligence outputs. It is committed to helping its clients solve problems, find solutions, grow markets and constituencies, build reputations, navigate risks, manage crises, and be the country’s leading private research and intelligence agency. Background NLEX Corporation, also known as the North Luzon Expressway Corporation, is a leading infrastructure company in the Philippines. Established in 2005, NLEX Corporation operates and maintains the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), a major highway connecting Metro Manila to the provinces of Central and Northern Luzon. With its extensive network of roads and toll plazas, NLEX Corporation plays a crucial role in facilitating efficient transportation and promoting economic growth in the region. NLEX Corporation is committed to providing safe and reliable travel experiences for motorists using the NLEX. The company continuously invests in infrastructure improvements to ensure that the expressway meets international quality standards. In recent years, NLEX Corporation has implemented various enhancement projects, such as the installation of advanced toll collection systems and the expansion of road capacities to accommodate the increasing volume of vehicles. Moreover, the company places great importance on maintaining the cleanliness and aesthetics of the expressway, regularly conducting maintenance activities to ensure a pleasant journey for its customers. Methodology The study was conducted from November 28, 2022 – November 28, 2023. Capstone-Intel used its social listening tools to analyze publicly accessible Facebook pages for posts using a keyword “NLEX.” note that no specific demographic or personal information was collected or monitored as part of this study. Reaction distribution On Facebook, the post received a substantial amount of engagement. The total number of reactions recorded was 2,905,557, indicating a significant level of interest and interaction. Additionally, the post garnered a total of 218,942 shares, demonstrating the extent to which users found it worth sharing with their own networks. The comments section also saw considerable activity, with a total of 270,406 comments left by users. Among the reactions, the majority consisted of 1,935,068 Likes, followed by 495,313 Haha, 368,983 Love, 54,133 Sad, 44,245 Wow, and 8,096 Angry reactions. Top posts The keyword “NLEX” generated significant engagement on multiple Facebook pages of news agencies and influencers. The post from Daily Tribune page, which is not inaccessible now, received 36983 (56.60%) Haha, 28,025 (42.10%) Like, 746 (1.10%) Wow, 459 (0.70%) Love, 189 (0.30%) Sad, and 111 (0.20%) Angry reactions. The second highest post was from Nuffsaid Society that garnered 83,770 (86.30%) Haha, 10,234 (10.80%) Like, 511 (0.50%) Love, 282 (0.30%) Wow, 75 (0.10%) Sad, and 26 (0.10%) Angry reactions. The third post was from ABS-CBN News garnering 83,022 (97.40%) Haha, 1,786 (2.10%) Likes, 301 (0.40%) Love, 95 (0.10%) Wow. 35 (0.00%) Sad, and 4 (0.00%) Angry reactions.
