BY THIS time of the campaign period, election candidates must have dug deeper in their campaign chests considering the high cost of everything from materials, to manpower, to transportation. Gone are the days of simple spending during election season.
Prior to day one of the official campaign period, aspirants were already spending much on their unofficial foray into campaigning that was aimed at sending feelers and introducing themselves to electorates. It’s somehow letting people know of their ambition to get elected come May 2022.
These introductory activities such as meetings, caucuses and visits entail expenses such as tokens and giveaways. These seem as small items but then with their volume, may also cost much. Aspirants cannot avoid too.
When campaigning, candidates need their men and women to do the clean and dirty works. There are the think tanks, the movers and other workers who would work on for support of people who can promise their votes.
Political operators are not for free. They are likewise given their salaries. Despite the fact that they are indeed supporters of their candidates, they too need compensation for their muscle works.
Next on the list are the various campaign materials. The most popular of them all are the tarpaulin posters which are by this time covers many conspicuous places where they can be placed. Despite the need to adhere to the sizes of posters prescribed by the Commission on Elections, a lot of election candidates are using.
For the opulent politicians, they buy their own tarpaulin printers, giving them some savings in the long run. Machines and tarpaulin materials are now cheaper as compared to when they are merely introduced in the market.
The spending on campaign materials would be until election day as some would print and distribute sample ballots to voters for last minute chances of getting the votes.
Campaign jingles are ubiquitously played in every streets and alleys. This is an effort of aspirants to their prospects for "name recall." Jingles are usually composed and recorded by artists for a fee. Showboats are the vehicles installed with loudspeakers and posters of candidates. They invade even the smallest sitio in the name of gathering more votes.
For a candidate seeking a city or municipal councilor position, a million pesos is definitely not enough to get elected. One needs several millions for a chance to win. If one is a mere laborer or simple worker, he most probably cannot wage a campaign due to the great expense entailed.
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