CANDIDATES for national positions will be allowed to air up to 120 minutes of television ads -- about four episodes of a primetime telenovela -- in each station once the official campaign period begins.
The official campaign for local candidates will be about six weeks shorter than that of national candidates, and they can air only up to 60 minutes per TV station.
Speaking at the 888 News Forum, Election Officer Ferdinand G.S. Gujilde discussed the airtime and print space limits for candidates and parties in the May 9, 2016 elections. These are regulated under Republic Act (RA) 9006 or the Fair Election Act and other related laws.
National candidates can also air up to 180 minutes of radio spots, and publish a one-half page in a tabloid up to three times a week. The space limit for a broadsheet is one-fourth page, also up to three times a week, regardless of whether the space is purchased or donated.
For local candidates, the limits are 60 minutes per TV station, 90 minutes per radio station, and one-fourth page for broadsheets and one-half page for tabloids for a maximum of three times a week.
The official campaign for those running for president, vice-president, senator or party-list representative will be from Feb. 9 to May 7, or about 12 weeks.
For all other candidates, including those running for governor and mayor, the official campaign season will be from March 25 to May 7, or roughly six weeks.
Election propaganda is allowed for all parties and candidates whether on television, cable, radio, newspaper or “any other medium,” said Gujilde. But there are limits on the size, duration, and frequency.
A gray area, so far, is social media or the use of such sites as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, among others, to promote candidates and parties.
In traditional media’s case, Gujilde said that the buyer (of airtime or newspaper space) may be required to state under oath that the purchase does not push the candidate or the party beyond the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec’s) limits
The Comelec wants campaign spending limited to P3 per voter for candidates with a political party, P5 per voter for independent candidates, and P5 per voter for parties and party-list groups.
For example, because Mandaue City has about 160,000 registered voters, each local candidate must spend no more than P480,000.
All political propaganda must be marked “Political advertisement paid for by” followed by the name and address of the candidate or party.
The name and address of the person or group that paid for the advertisement may also be used.
If the political ad is donated, it must be marked “Printed free of charge” followed by the name and address of the individual donor.
If the donated political ad is aired on radio, it should be followed by: “Airtime for this broadcast was provided free of charge by” followed by the name and address of the broadcast entity.
Once the political advertisements are placed, Gujilde said, the media outlets must submit to the Comelec the certified true copies of broadcast logs, certificates of performance, certificates of acceptance, and “other analogous records” within five days after the advertising contracts are signed.