Type: Editorial
Category: Unpublished
Category: Unpublished
“Just Political Ads”
By Charito Chua
“Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura?”, “Galing at talino”, “Ipagpapatuloy ko ang laban”. Here are most of the lines we hear from our radio programs, in between our favorite television shows, beside our Facebook wall posts, and probably even on the walls of our own homes. Politicians consider advertisement as a very crucial and critical instrument in terms of their political campaign for the upcoming elections this May 2010.
There have been several expose’s on television and on newspapers regarding the various political ads by all sorts of people vying for government positions. It has been stated that there are numerous politicians disregarding the rules implemented by the Commissions on Elections with the Republic Act No. 9006 or the “Fair Election Practices Act” which was implemented last February 4. In this act it states the different rules and regulations in terms of political advertisements, limitations, sponsorships, etc. The most controversial part is with regards to the allowed budget. According to section 5 of the said act. According to this, the total amount of a candidate running for the positions of President and Vice President is P10.00 per voter. Those running with the support of a political party have an amount of P3.00 per voter, while those without have an amount of P5.00.
Villar remains to be the candidate with the highest expenses. According to Inquirer’s sources, Villar has already spent an estimation of P120 million in his political campaign. He is still questioned as he is assumed to have spent P250 million more, which would mean he exceeded the given budget limitation.
Aside from the expenses limitation, there is also a limit with regards to the campaigning period. According to the code, anything before February 9 (and March 26 for the other government positions) is considered premature campaigning. But stating the obvious, television has been full of political ads released by various candidates before the said campaigning period. Well, it is because the Supreme Court has released a statement beforehand that, “The effective date when partisan political acts become unlawful as to a candidate is when the campaign period starts. Before the start of the campaign period, the same partisan political acts are lawful.” And so in conclusion, all those political ads are legal, as well as all of the tarpaulins that bombarded our communities for our fiestas, Christmas, and even our Valentine’s, with huge names and faces of the corresponding politicians who want to “greet” us for every occasion. Now, then what is the point of the campaigning period if these candidates already started beforehand? Instead of putting up all those posters and releasing all those TV commercials to get exposure, why don’t the politicians simply do their job by governing our country? It feels as if they are not contented with having a position in the government; they want to be part of the showbiz industry as well. Wouldn’t it be better if the Filipinos would recognize them as people who have helped develop the nation and its citizens, rather than the younger brother of Kris Aquino? Or the man in orange with the catchy tune?
R.A. 9006 also dedicated its section eight (Lawful Election Propaganda) to state the size limits of the advertising posters, pamphlets and such. And yet, we still see several political ads that are big enough to say that it does not follow the rules stated in the Fair Election Practices Act. I can also remember this billboard I see when I am on my way to school, a billboard of a big picture of Eddie Villanueva. Though I really am not sure if the billboard is for his church organization, or for his presidential campaign, but still it is not allowed. But then again, on second thought, the act never said anything about not using billboards for the campaign. The Comelec should really be stricter and more specific with regards to their rules and regulations.
One thing I really want to ask all these candidates is, Why? They would spend millions and millions of their “own hard-earned money” for a position that would not even give half of the quantity spent for his or her campaign. If they do claim that they are not corrupt, then what is the reason behind all this? What is the motivation for all these candidates to spend this much of money for something that would not even give them as much as they had lost. There is only one possible way to do so, and that is if these future leaders of our country do take the country’s funds illegally for their own benefits.
So what is the Comelec doing with the candidates with ads not under the standards nationally set for all the candidates? They have assigned election officers to handle such illegal posters and advertisements. “This is why we will be strict in enforcing campaign rules, especially rules on the posting of campaign materials,” said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. Well apparently, not strict enough. Why do we still see some oversized posters and steamers all over Metro Manila? And why is the Comelec doing the dirty job? Those particular politicians who violated the rule should be the ones to remove it. Candidates like those should be given a sanction or stricter limitations regarding the political campaign.
I just hope the voters for this coming election would see these candidates as more than just good advertisers. Let the rest of the world see that aside from these politicians’ photogenic and most likely well-edited ads, they have what it takes to lead our country globally. Aside from all the flashy commercials, catchy taglines and last-song-syndrome jingles, let all these candidates show what they can really do for the betterment of the Philippines. One more important thing we have to ask ourselves Filipinos who are voting for our next future leader, “Would you follow a law implemented by someone who does not follow rules themselves?”
There have been several expose’s on television and on newspapers regarding the various political ads by all sorts of people vying for government positions. It has been stated that there are numerous politicians disregarding the rules implemented by the Commissions on Elections with the Republic Act No. 9006 or the “Fair Election Practices Act” which was implemented last February 4. In this act it states the different rules and regulations in terms of political advertisements, limitations, sponsorships, etc. The most controversial part is with regards to the allowed budget. According to section 5 of the said act. According to this, the total amount of a candidate running for the positions of President and Vice President is P10.00 per voter. Those running with the support of a political party have an amount of P3.00 per voter, while those without have an amount of P5.00.Villar remains to be the candidate with the highest expenses. According to Inquirer’s sources, Villar has already spent an estimation of P120 million in his political campaign. He is still questioned as he is assumed to have spent P250 million more, which would mean he exceeded the given budget limitation.
Aside from the expenses limitation, there is also a limit with regards to the campaigning period. According to the code, anything before February 9 (and March 26 for the other government positions) is considered premature campaigning. But stating the obvious, television has been full of political ads released by various candidates before the said campaigning period. Well, it is because the Supreme Court has released a statement beforehand that, “The effective date when partisan political acts become unlawful as to a candidate is when the campaign period starts. Before the start of the campaign period, the same partisan political acts are lawful.” And so in conclusion, all those political ads are legal, as well as all of the tarpaulins that bombarded our communities for our fiestas, Christmas, and even our Valentine’s, with huge names and faces of the corresponding politicians who want to “greet” us for every occasion. Now, then what is the point of the campaigning period if these candidates already started beforehand? Instead of putting up all those posters and releasing all those TV commercials to get exposure, why don’t the politicians simply do their job by governing our country? It feels as if they are not contented with having a position in the government; they want to be part of the showbiz industry as well. Wouldn’t it be better if the Filipinos would recognize them as people who have helped develop the nation and its citizens, rather than the younger brother of Kris Aquino? Or the man in orange with the catchy tune?
R.A. 9006 also dedicated its section eight (Lawful Election Propaganda) to state the size limits of the advertising posters, pamphlets and such. And yet, we still see several political ads that are big enough to say that it does not follow the rules stated in the Fair Election Practices Act. I can also remember this billboard I see when I am on my way to school, a billboard of a big picture of Eddie Villanueva. Though I really am not sure if the billboard is for his church organization, or for his presidential campaign, but still it is not allowed. But then again, on second thought, the act never said anything about not using billboards for the campaign. The Comelec should really be stricter and more specific with regards to their rules and regulations.
One thing I really want to ask all these candidates is, Why? They would spend millions and millions of their “own hard-earned money” for a position that would not even give half of the quantity spent for his or her campaign. If they do claim that they are not corrupt, then what is the reason behind all this? What is the motivation for all these candidates to spend this much of money for something that would not even give them as much as they had lost. There is only one possible way to do so, and that is if these future leaders of our country do take the country’s funds illegally for their own benefits.
So what is the Comelec doing with the candidates with ads not under the standards nationally set for all the candidates? They have assigned election officers to handle such illegal posters and advertisements. “This is why we will be strict in enforcing campaign rules, especially rules on the posting of campaign materials,” said Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez. Well apparently, not strict enough. Why do we still see some oversized posters and steamers all over Metro Manila? And why is the Comelec doing the dirty job? Those particular politicians who violated the rule should be the ones to remove it. Candidates like those should be given a sanction or stricter limitations regarding the political campaign.
I just hope the voters for this coming election would see these candidates as more than just good advertisers. Let the rest of the world see that aside from these politicians’ photogenic and most likely well-edited ads, they have what it takes to lead our country globally. Aside from all the flashy commercials, catchy taglines and last-song-syndrome jingles, let all these candidates show what they can really do for the betterment of the Philippines. One more important thing we have to ask ourselves Filipinos who are voting for our next future leader, “Would you follow a law implemented by someone who does not follow rules themselves?”
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