2,000 expected at the 2nd Presidential debate

Preparations are underway for the Presidential debate that will be held at the University of the Philippines Cebu next week.

There are bleachers set up at the school campus for 1,500 spectators, UP Professor January Yap told GMA News Online.

The debate will be held at the UP campus in Cebu CIty on March 20, Sunday.

The school has also sent out invitations to various schools in Cebu province while security measures will be further discussed by government officials on Monday.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec)-backed debate comes more than one month after the first debate that was held at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro, which was co-organized by GMA Network Inc. and Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The debate partners for the second round are TV 5 and Philippine Star.

The university launched Monday "wiseUP Cebu" wise voting and clean elections campaign with the tagline "Sayri! Barugi!" in a press conference, the UP Cebu Public Affairs Office posted on Facebook.

In a statement on venue accommodations that was issued earlier, UP Cebu officials said the debate venue is estimated to accommodate 500 people but only 300 will be allowed for security and technical reasons.

Two hundred audience members will be invited by Comelec and Channel 5, while 100 is reserved for students and faculty of UP Cebu.

The campus grounds can accommodate 2,500 people but the outdoor audience will be limited to 1,500, also for technical and security reasons.

The audience will be given a chance to voice out their reaction every commercial break during the debate proper and will also appear on the video stream.

The presidential candidates will be given a chance to meet the audience before they proceed to the debate hall. — BAP, GMA News