Campaign opens for Philippines presidential vote

Campaigning in the Philippines' presidential election began Tuesday with the candidates including the pro-democracy current vice president. The official three-month campaign for national posts opened under tough anti-virus restrictions, with a ban on handshakes, kissing, hugging and tightly packed crowds.

Voters will choose the president, a separately elected vice president and half of the 24-seat Senate. Social media has become a key battleground in the May 9 elections given the restrictions with many fearing disinformation could worsen in an intense race.

Candidates for more than 18,000 local positions, including provincial governors, town mayors and House of Representatives seats open their campaigns on March 25. More than 67 million Filipinos have registered to cast their votes, including nearly 1.7 million who work abroad.