The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday denied allegations that it is paying so-called “reactors” and “vloggers” to promote or defend President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on social media.
During the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on the agency’s proposed 2026 budget, PCO Secretary Dave Gomez made the clarification saying that all of the people commenting on their post is “real people”
“We don’t maintain reactors and vloggers. We have organic supporters of the President, who comments on our posts. We don’t retain any of those vloggers or reactors, as you [Rep. Paolo Henry Marcoleta] may put it,” the PCO secretary said.
“Those are organic, real people commenting on our posts, commending the activities, the programs of the President, and they are by no means employed by us,” Gomez stressed.
According to the report by RH Milky Rigonan on “Damdaming Bayan,” the denial came after Sagip Party-list Representative Paolo Henry Marcoleta claimed that the PCO was allegedly maintaining around 100 to 200 individuals to provide positive reactions to posts about the President.
Marcoleta further alleged that the agency was also keeping 76 vloggers for the same purpose.
Marcoleta further alleged that, based on reports, the so-called reactors and vloggers were each paid ₱7,000 a month and given mobile load allowances.
"Ang aking impormasyon na natanggap, ito po ay binabayaran itong mga reactors natin na P7,000 a month para magbigay ng magandang komento at magbigay ng magandang react, siguro heart or like para maganda ang traction ng ating post," said Marcoleta.
"Mayroon pa silang allowance sa load, bukod sa kanilang sweldo," the lawmaker questioned.
The communications chief answered that no funds in the PCO’s budget are allocated for hiring or compensating online reactors and vloggers.
Instead, Gomez maintained that the engagement seen on the PCO’s social media platforms comes from “organic” or real supporters of Marcos, and not paid commentators.
