Comelec: Lesser airtime for 2013 polls' nat'l candidates

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a resolution cutting the airtime allowed for candidates running for national posts in the May mid-term elections.

 

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said that candidates running for national posts will only be allowed to run their campaign ads for 120 minutes on television and 180 minutes on radio.

 

Brillantes said that under the new implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Elections Act, the runtime of campaign ads of national candidates in both television and radio should be "aggregate" and no longer per station as in the practice in previous elections.

 

To read the full copy of the Fair Elections Act click here

 

He said local candidates are given only 60 minutes of television exposure and 90 minutes on radio.

 

"Radio and TV stations are required to report and furnish us their broadcast advertisement contract; we'll monitor too," Brillantes said in his official Twitter account.

 

"New rules on campaign propaganda will not take effect until the start of the campaign period," he added.

 

Brillantes said guestings on TV shows may also be charged to the candidate's total airtime.

 

"If obvious circumvention of the rules (not bona fide) will be charged to the candidate's TV/radio airtime. Forms of propaganda other than those we enumerated are prohibited, unless prior authority is sought," he said.

 

Under the Fair Elections Act, names, images, logo and initials of candidates in government cars, ambulance, lamp posts, and signage are treated as prohibited propaganda.

 

Also prohibited are election propaganda on public utility vehicles like buses, jeepneys, taxis, pedicabs and tricycles, terminals and airports, as well as posting of election propaganda on trees.

 

The Fair Elections Act lays down the provisions on the use of political advertisements.

 

The measure is intended to enhance the holding of free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections through fair practices.