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Friday, March 02, 2007
Poll body mulls extending airtime for candidates
MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is considering an increase in the airtime allotted for candidates for their campaign advertisements in television and radio.
"There are proposals to revisit (the ruling on political ads) and a lot of these are undergoing final review," said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez, referring to a provision of the Fair Election Act that limits the airtime of every candidate for their campaign commercials to 120 minutes only.
Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007
Monitoring by a media research group of airtime usage for the May 14 elections and results of the latest study of the Nielsen Media Research showed that six members of the administration's senatorial slate are among the top 10 political advertisement spenders in the first two weeks of the campaign period.
Senator Ralph Recto, who is seeking reelection, said he was surprised that he placed third in terms of expenses for campaign ads.
"I was surprised as I didn't figure that I had that many or that frequent television ad placements. I don't have any television ad placements in the province. But more likely it will only be like that at the start of the campaign as my strategy has been to frontload all the ads at the starting gate. Next week, the figures will look different and other candidates are likely to overtake me," he said.
Recto assured that he would stick with Comelec's limit on campaign ads.
The poll body, however, is thinking of considering "adding to the limit" and not reducing the current 120 minutes allowed for campaign ads in the mass media, Jimenez said.
The ruling will be out next week, he added.
Recalling the experience the Comelec had in the 2004 elections, Jimenez said the commission implemented it on a per station basis and the candidates ended up with "runaway spending."
"Even the law itself allows a little room so to speak kasi hindi (because it does not) specify kung ang (if the) limitations will apply on a per station basis or on a different basis," he said.
Among the proposals, according to Jimenez, is to make it a per station basis or per region in order to level the playing field.
He said among factors being taken into consideration includes the scope or area of coverage being reached by each particular station.
Commenting on his campaign ads, Recto said these were funded by friends and from revenue from commercials of his spouse, Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto.
Team Unity bet Representative Prospero Pichay Jr. topped the list, logging in P33.40 million worth of airtime followed by Genuine Opposition (GO) guest candidate Senate President Manuel Villar with P30.29 million.
Team Unity Senator Ralph Recto placed third at P22.79 million. (MSN/CPB/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (March 2, 2007 issue)
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