In a bid to encourage Filipinos to go out and vote, social networking giant Facebook has announced that it will launch a special button on May 9 to allow users to share that they have participated in the national elections.

In a statement on Friday, Facebook said the “I’m a Voter” button, the first in the Philippines, would appear on the Facebook news feed of those eligible to vote.

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“Voters logging on to Facebook on Monday will see a ‘megaphone’ message at the top of their Facebook News Feed, and will be able to click to share that they are voting with their friends. By clicking the button people can highlight their status as a voter to their Facebook friends, without specifying who they voted for,” the statement read.

Facebook’s Election Day megaphone, which is a product of a partnership with the Commission on Elections, was also used in polls in other countries like the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Spain, and Singapore.

Elizabeth Hernandez, head of Public Policy at Facebook Asia Pacific, said the social network had become an avenue for “authentic conversation about politics,” particularly in the Philippines, where the public could learn more about the candidates and debate on political issues.

“Politics is huge on Facebook, and with over 190 million Facebook interactions on the Philippines elections by more than 17 million Filipinos, the Philippines has been one of the most engaged elections globally on Facebook. That’s why we’re rolling out the ‘I’m a Voter’ button—to give Filipinos a chance to share they they’re taking part with friends and family—and encourage others to do the same,” Hernandez said. YG/RC/rga

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