Solon seeks higher campaign expenditure limitsof poll candidates to promote transparency

A lawmaker is seeking to raise to realistic price levels the authorized expenses of candidates and political parties for campaign purposes to encourage transparency in reporting poll expenditures and provide a more accurate basis in computing their taxes.

Rep. Nicasio M. Aliping, Jr. (Lone District, Baguio City) said the limit on campaign expenditures pegged 24 years ago has become disproportionate to the rising Consumer Price Index.

As a result, candidates in recent elections have become less and less transparent in their statements of election contributions and expenditures if only to comply with the reportorial requirements, according to Aliping.

“Raising the limit will not only encourage transparency in reporting election expenditures, but will also provide a more accurate basis in computing taxes due on such campaign expenditures actually incurred by a candidate or political party,” said Aliping, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) lawyer for the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR).

The lawmaker said Sections 100 and 101 of Batas Pambansa 881, otherwise known as the “Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines,” originally set the limit upon expenses of candidates and political parties at P1.50 for every currently registered voter.

“That was in 1985. The limit was raised in 1991 under Republic Act No. 7166 to P10 for President and Vice President, P5 for political parties and independent candidates, and P3 for other candidates. It remained unchanged until the 2013 elections,” said Aliping, a vice chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education and Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle.

In House Bill 5958, now pending at the Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chaired by Rep. Fredenil H. Castro (2nd District, Capiz), Aliping sought the amendment of Section 13 of RA 7166, otherwise known as “An Act Providing For Synchronized National And Local Elections And For Electoral Reforms,” pertaining to Authorized Expenses of Candidates and Political Parties.

The amendment provides that the aggregate amount that a candidate or registered political party may spend for election campaign shall be P30 for candidates for President, Vice-President and Senator; and P20 for candidates for Member of the House of Representatives, Regional and Provincial Governor and Vice-Governor, and City and Municipal Mayor and Vice-Mayor; and for other candidates P10 for every voter currently registered in the constituency where he filed his certificate of candidacy.

Furthermore, the amendment provides that a candidate without any political party and without support from any political party may be allowed to spend P20 for every such voter. For political parties and party-list groups, the amount shall be P20 for every voter currently registered in the constituency or constituencies where it has official candidates.

Moreover, the amendment provides that the Comelec shall adjust the amounts authorized once every three years based on the prevailing Consumer Price Index. (30) rbb

NR # 3940

AUG 28, 2015