Ejercito, Legarda top users of TV, radio for campaign ads—Comelec

San Juan Representative Joseph Victor Ejercito. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – San Juan Representative Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito spent the most number of minutes for his political advertisements on television while Loren Legarda focused on radio, according to an initial report by the Commission on Elections which has been logging the time spent by candidates on air since the start of the campaign in February.

Ejercito of the United Nationalist alliance (UNA) topped the list of senatorial candidates, spending 26 minutes on television – 15 minutes on GMA Network, eight minutes on ABS-CBN, and three minutes on TV5, said the Comelec, which has been monitoring candidates and broadcast networks since February 12, start of the campaign period, until March 22.

Richard Gordon and Ernesto Maceda, also of UNA, each spent 23 minutes; Miguel Zubiri (UNA), 19.5 minutes; and Teddy Casino (independent candidate), 16.5 minutes.

Meanwhile, Legarda of the Liberal Party coalition emerged on top of the senatorial candidates who have maximized the use of radio, logging in 44 minutes for campaign advertisements across five separate radio stations, the report said.

Zubiri’s radio advertisements totaled 19 minutes; Ramon Magsaysay Jr. (LP); 10.5 minutes; and Casino, 6.75 minutes, it said.

With political parties, UNA has used up 52 minutes while the LP has used only 4.5 minutes on television, it said.

The LP has logged a total of six minutes of radio advertisements while UNA has yet to place one in any of the radio stations, it said.

Senator Loren Legarda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Among TV stations, GMA Network had 160.5 minutes of campaign ads from senatorial candidates, political parties, and partylist groups, the Comelec report said.

ABS-CBN network reported a total of 121 minutes of television advertisements from senators, political parties and partylist while TV5 had 7.75 minutes of advertisements from senatorial candidates.

Three partylist groups have placed advertisements on radio – the Bagong Henerasyon Partylist (26 minutes), Bayan Muna partylist (four minutes), and LPGMA partylist (13.5 minutes).

DZMM radio station of ABS-CBN network had the highest number of minutes logged for political ads with a total of 19 minutes while rival DZBB of GMA network had a total of 16.25 minutes, the Comelec said.

Candidates for national positions and political parties are given a total of 120 minutes of airtime for television advertisements and 180 minutes of airtime for radio advertisements, according to Comelec resolution 9615.

Based on the report, none of the candidates or broadcast networks has violated the Comelec rule.