NEGROS Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is opposing the move of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to extend the campaign period for both local and national candidates during the 2016 elections.
“No. I am not in favor of a longer campaign period. It is expensive and if you are an incumbent, you already have 32 months of campaigning,” Lacson said.
Manapla Mayor Lourdes Escalante said the suggestion for a longer period for campaigning is good as the candidates will have more time to go around and explain their plans and programs to the voters.
Second District Board Member Salvador Escalante said he is also against the extension of the campaign period for local candidates.
He added that 45 days are more than enough for a candidate to go around and reach out to voters.
Escalante said tha, for instance, it only takes 30 days to go around and campaign in all barangays in Cadiz City, the second largest city in the province.
He said, however, that a longer campaign period could be applicable for national candidates because they need to go around the country and sell themselves and convince the voters to vote for them.
Comelec plans to move the start of the campaign period for national and local candidates to January 10, 2016.
During the previous elections, candidates for national positions were given 90 days to campaign while candidates for local positions were given 45 days. Under the proposal, national candidates will have 120 days to campaign while local candidates will have 90 days.
In a related development, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto said the poll body should have proposed to shorten the campaign period, noting a long campaign period could be costlier.
"In the first place, the clamor is not to lengthen it, but to shorten it. A campaign should be a short race, not the political equivalent of a triathlon," Recto said.
He also warned of certain problems that may be experienced under a longer campaign period.
“The longer the campaign, the longer an incumbent is distracted from doing his duties. A longer campaign heightens tensions, raises the political temperature that could reach violent boiling point. A longer campaign prolongs the public works ban, thereby delaying the completion of needed infrastructure,” said Recto.(with reports from Sunnex)