The House plenary (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The House of Representatives has passed in overwhelming fashion a bill that seeks to increase the authorized campaign expenses of candidates in national and local elections. 

Approved on third and final reading during plenary session Wednesday night, Aug. 16, was House Bill (HB) No. 8370, which seeks to amend Section 13 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7166, titled “An Act providing for synchronized national and local elections and for other electoral reforms, authorizing appropriations therefor, and for other purposes". 

Nominal voting results showed that 268 solons voted "yes" to the measure. Three voted "no", while one abstained.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said that political candidates' expense limit of P3 to P10 per registered voter under the current law "no longer realistic". 

“This cap was set almost 32 years ago, in November 1991 when the law was enacted. Factoring in annual inflation, a candidate’s P3 or P10 three decades ago may amount to nothing today. Thus, the need to adjust the expense limit,” Romualdez said. 

He said increasing the amount candidates can spend for their campaign would allow aspirants for public office to better present themselves to voters and the public in general through the mainstream media, social media, and other platforms or modes of campaigning. 

“In that sense, the bill would widen the opportunity for the electorate to scrutinize the aspirants and to eventually choose the best, the brightest and the most qualified. The proposed law would enhance the exercise of the freedom of suffrage and strengthen democracy,” added the Leyte's 1st district congressman. 

He said that the bill would also encourage transparency and honesty among candidates and political parties in reporting campaign expenses to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). 

“The present unrealistic limits may force aspirants and political groups to submit untruthful reports,” noted Romualdez, adding that the expense cap adjustment would also result in more economic activities as candidates would be spending more for their campaign. 

HB No. 8370 is a consolidation of six related measures, including HB No. 2702 that was authored by Tingog Party-list Reps Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre. 

The Tingog solons said that since the enactment of the present law in 1991, the value of the peso “has changed significantly and the campaign expense limits are no longer suitable or applicable". 

“The existing cap poses a problem for candidates as inflation affects services, as well as necessary materials, advertisements and transportation expenses. Aside from those, the salary of campaign personnel has also increased,” they said. 

Under HB No. 8370, the candidates’ campaign expense limits would be increased to P50 for president; P40 for vice president; and P30 for senator, district representative, governor, vice governor, board member, mayor, vice mayor, councilor, and party-list representative for every voter registered in the constituency where the candidate filed his certificate of candidacy (coc). 

The present law sets a cap of just P10 for presidential and vice presidential candidates, and P3 for other aspirants. 

The proposed amendment does not change the limit for independent candidates, which is P5 for every voter. 

For political parties, the expense ceiling would go up from P5 to P30 for every voter in the constituency where they have official candidates.