Balisado said that the region has a total of 2.6 Million registered voters. With Davao City’s total 936,451 registered voters, a mayor or vice mayor are only allowed to spend only about PHP2.8M.
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – As the campaign period for midterm elections for national candidates and parties starts today, February 12, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded candidates and the media to observe the Omnibus Election Code and the Fair Elections Act.
Lawyer Wilfredo Jay Balisado, Comelec-XI Director, stressed the rules on allowable airtime and campaign finance — election guidelines that are more often abused rather than heeded.
He said national candidates only have 180-minute air time for television and another 120-minute air time for radio stations across the country. Local candidates or those who are running for a seat at the House of Representatives, or are provincial, city and municipal officials are allowed 90 minutes air time for TV and another 60 minutes air time for radio stations.
Balisado also reminded TV and radio networks to “submit before the Comelec all contracts,” to check the expenses of the candidates.
Based on the Comelec’s Resolution 9615 (Rules and Regulations implementing RA 9006 or the Fair Election Act, in connection to the 13 May 2013 national and local elections, and subsequent elections), a copy of the broadcast advertisement contract should be furnished to the Comelec’s Education and Information Department within five days from signing.
The same Comelec resolution noted that a candidate is to spend only PHP 3 for every registered voter where he/she filed his/her certification of candidacy.
Meanwhile, a candidate who has no political party or without support from any political party, as well as political parties and party-list groups, should spend only PHP 5 for every registered voter.
Comelec’s January 22 data show a total of 52,014,648 registered voters in the country. This means that a national candidate or party is allowed to spend at most PHP 156,043,944.
Balisado said that the region has a total of 2.6 Million registered voters. With Davao City’s total 936,451 registered voters, a mayor or vice mayor are only allowed to spend only about PHP2.8M.
The expenses of congressional candidates will vary depending on the number of registered voters per district. Davao City’s first district has a total of 406,216 registered voters, second district has 285,102 and the third district 245,133.
The Comelec has also set limits to printed or published election propaganda with only a quarter page (for broadsheets) and a half page (for tabloids).
Comelec’s Resolutioon 9615 also noted that print advertisements shall not be published more than three times a week per newspaper, magazine or other publication during the campaign period regardless if its “procured by purchase or given free of charge.”
For online election propaganda, the said Comelec resolution also set a maximum size (width and height in pixels including aspect ratio) which “shall not be published more than three times a week per website” regardless if it’s procured by purchase or given free of charge.
It noted that the “exhibition of online advertisement, for any length of time regardless of frequency, within a 24 hour period, shall be construed as one instance of publication.”
The Comelec has also prohibited campaigning on Maundy Thursday (March 28), Good Friday (March 29), a day before the election (May 12) and during the elections. (Marilou Aguirre-Tuburan/davaotoday.com
