Pera’t PulitikaFindings and Recommendations

Campaign Spending in the 2007 Elections:A Challenge to 2010 Elections

August 27, 2008

Background

• Working group formed in late 2006• Undertook pioneering work on campaign spending

monitoring• Pera’t Pulitika Working Group: Access to Information

Network, Consortium for Electoral Reforms, Libertas, Transparency and Accountability Network, and Dr. Edna Co and her team of analysts

Project Objectives

• To generate data on campaign spending;• Heighten public awareness;• To identify areas for reform;• To prepare for larger monitoring for the 2010

elections.

Campaign LimitsExpenditures:• P3.00/registered voter for candidates with a political

party (approx. P135mil for senatorial candidates) Reference: Republic Act 7166 or the Synchronized Election Law

Use of media:• TV airtime: 120 min/region• Radio airtime: 180 min/region Reference: Republic Act 9066 or the Fair Election Act

Top 12 Individual Spenders on Political Advertisements, 2007 [Estimates]

Candidate

Percent Share of Total Media

Spending by All Candidates

Overall Media Value,Undiscounted(Php, 000s)

Media Spending,Discounted(Php, 000s)

PichayPichay 8.78.7 223,571223,571 162,371162,371VillarVillar 8.48.4 212,389212,389 156,012156,012ArroyoArroyo 6.96.9 178,551178,551 128,247128,247RectoRecto 6.56.5 164,080164,080 120,532120,532AngaraAngara 6.46.4 164,116164,116 118,825118,825LegardaLegarda 5.85.8 146,872146,872 108,285108,285DefensorDefensor 5.65.6 142,686142,686 103,960103,960Sotto 5.0 128,899 92,985Oreta 5.0 128,468 92,738Zubiri 4.9 125,225 91,125Singson 4.3 109,765 80,060Aquino 4.1 107,192 76,108

Candidates Who Have Exceeded Spending Limits

…and 7 spent at least P100m

Top 12 Candidates with Most Minutes on TV, 2007 Candidate TV Airtime, minutes

Variance over the 120 Minute Limit

Arroyo 289 169Angara 251 131Villar* 243 123Pichay 239 119Defensor 210 90Pangilinan 181 61Recto 177 57Sotto 173 53Oreta 171 51Aquino 165 45Zubiri 153 33Legarda* 146 26

*Note: Potential Presidential Candidate for 2010

7 Senators Exceeded TV Airtime Limits

Top 12 Candidates with Most Minutes on Radio, 2007

Candidate Radio exposure in all Regions (minutes)

No. of Regions w/ Radio Ad

Avg. Radio Airtime:

Mins/Region

Variance over the 180 Mins.

Limit

Villar* 7,883 12 657 477

Pichay 6,262 11 569 389

Recto 5,614 11 510 330

Zubiri 5,315 11 483 303

Legarda* 4,371 11 397 217

Angara 4,170 12 348 168

Escudero* 3,983 11 362 182

Pimentel 3,456 11 314 134

Arroyo 3,061 10 306 126

Defensor 2,941 9 327 147

Magsaysay 2,550 11 232 52

Singson 2,352 11 214 34

*Note: Potential Presidential Candidate for 2010

6 Senators Exceeded Radio Airtime Limits

PAP Monitored Expenditures vs

Candidates’ Reports

PAP Monitored vs. Comelec Data

Candidate

Candidate Spending on Media as a Percentage of

Total Media Spending for all

candidates

Overall Media Value,

Undiscounted(Php, 000s)

Media Spending,Discounted(Php, 000s)

Statement of Total Expenditure

Submitted to Comelec(Php, 000s)

Pichay 8.7 223,571 162,371 89,390Villar 8.4 212,389 156,012 84,532Arroyo 6.9 178,551 128,247 83,430Recto 6.5 164,080 120,532 76,595Angara 6.4 164,116 118,825 94,822Legarda 5.8 146,872 108,285 86,193Defensor 5.6 142,686 103,960 121,580Sotto 5.0 128,899 92,985 80,271Oreta 5.0 128,468 92,738 78,891Zubiri 4.9 125,225 91,125 89,177Singson 4.3 109,765 80,060 113,511Aquino 4.1 107,192 76,108 68,127

Candidate

Candidate Spending on Media as a

Percentage of Total Media

Spending for all candidates

Overall Media Value,

Undiscounted (Php, 000s)

Media Spending,Discounted(Php, 000s)

Statement of Total Expenditure Submitted to

Comelec(Php, 000s)

Escudero 3.9 100,249 73,336 64,949Magsaysay 3.9 99,881 72,616 2,000Pangilinan 3.8 97,391 69,826 67,029Lacson 3.6 94,579 67,190 82,870Pimentel 2.9 73,012 54,472 29,963Osmena 2.8 71,062 52,464 62,026Montano 2.3 59,048 42,453 78,613Cayetano Alan

1.7 45,585 31,953 37,214

Roco 1.4 37,200 26,879 27,139Coseteng 0.7 19,242 13,754 11,183Honasan 0.6 14,613 10,545 10,300Trillanes 0.4 10,796 7,557 4,937Gomez 0.2 4,413 3,147 3,060Paredes 0.0 337 236 468

PAP Monitored vs. Comelec Data

Findings

• The monitoring showed clear violations by certain candidates of the limits on media airtime, including 3 “presidentiables” (Villar, Legarda, Escudero)

• Large spending on political ads did not ensure victory in the national race.

• Our monitoring data showed candidates may have violated campaign spending limits.

Recommendations

• Comelec must have the political will to monitor and enforce laws on campaign spending and use of media.

• The enactment of a political party and electoral reform bill are critical steps in improving relations between money and politics in the country.

• The Comelec should issue a public disclosure policy declaring all documents public, under the principle of the people’s right to know and the state’s duty to disclose.

• A unit dedicated to ensuring compliance with and enforcement of existing campaign finance laws and regulations in Comelec should be created.

- The Comelec should clarify “airtime” limits. One of PAP’s major findings is the candidates’ clear violation of allowable airtime limit.