House OKs bill increasing authorized poll expenses on 2nd reading

MANILA, Philippines — Candidates in local and national posts during elections may soon be allowed to spend more in their campaign as the bill seeking to increase the amount of authorized election campaign expenses moved forward in the House of Representatives.

In a voice vote, House lawmakers on Monday approved on second reading House Bill No. 6095 which seeks to amend Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166 or “An Act Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms, Authorizing Appropriations Therefor, and for Other Purposes”.

Under the bill, candidates for President, Vice President, and senators will be allowed to spend up to P50 per voter—five times higher than the P10 per voter that is set by current laws.

Meanwhile, other candidates are allowed to spend 10 times higher than they are currently allowed as the bill now increases their spending cap to P30 per voter.

Political parties are likewise given increase in their spending cap with P50 per voter for their national candidates and P30 for local candidates.

“Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any contribution in cash or in kind to any candidate or political party or coalition of parties for campaign purposes, duly reported to the Commission [on Elections], shall not be subject to the payment of donor’s tax,” the bill states.

The amount of authorized election campaign expenses shall also be adjusted every six years by the Commission on Elections, the bill further states.

This adjustment has to be in coordination with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the National Economic and Development Authority, and the Philippine Statistics Authority with inflation rate and consumer price index in consideration.