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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City, Metro Manila

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Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 7202

Introduced by Honorable Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Under Philippine law on elections, a candidate, for his campaign, is
allowed to spend the maximum amount of P 3.00 for every voter, while
political parties could only spend P 5.00. Our law on campaign expenditures
was last updated in 1991, under Republic Act No. 7166 (the Synchronized
Election Law). It stands to reason, therefore, that there is need for Congress to
update the ceiling of authorized campaign expenditures to more realistic levels.

Congress has already started updating the amount of fines/penalties for
crimes under the proposed Revised Penal Code Indexation Act. There is thus
no reason why a similar reform should not be done with respect to our election
laws, especially in view of the fast approach of our regular local and national
elections. This reform should already be in place when the elections happen. It
is a postulate in our constitutional law that regular elections is a bedrock of our
democracy.

Outdated laws merely invite contempt, or worse, non-compliance. Come
election time, every candidate shudder at the thought of violating antiquated
limits on election expenditures. A number of them therefore do what they think
is best for their own interest — “massage” the figures of their expenses or
“tweak” their reports so as not to come out as a violator — which is all the
worse for the integrity of our elections, not to mention the honesty of our
would-be government officials.

For these and other cogent reasons, the early approval of this bill is
urgently requested.

M. CHIPECO, JR.
tative
écond District of Laguna


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._ 7202

Introduced by Honorable Joaquin M. Chipeco, Jr.

AN ACT

INCREASING THE AUTHORIZED CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES
OF CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL PARTIES, AMENDING FOR
THE PURPOSE SECTION 13 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7166,
ENTITLED “AN ACT PROVIDING FOR SYNCHRONIZED
NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS AND FOR ELECTORAL
REFORMS, AUTHORIZING APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166 is hereby amended

to read as follows:

“Sec. 13. Authorized Expenses of Candidates and Political Parties. —
The [agreement] AGGREGATE amount that a candidate or registered
political party may spend for election campaign shall be as follows:

1. For candidates. - [Ten] FIFTY pesos [(P10.00)] (P50.00) for
President and Vice-President; and for other candidates, [Three]
TWENTY FIVE Pesos [(P3.00)] (P25.00) for every voter currently


registered in the constituency where he filed his certificate of
candidacy; Provided, That a candidate without any political party and
without support from any political party may be allowed to spend
[Five] FIFTY Pesos [(P5.00)] (P50.00) for every such voter; and

2. For political parties — [Five] TWENTY FIVE Pesos [(P5.00)]
(P25.00) for every voter currently registered in the constituency or

constituencies where it has official 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 shall not be subject
to the payment of any gift tax.”

SEC. 2. The Commission on Elections shall immediately promulgate
the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this

Act.

SEC. 3. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations and
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act

are hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.


SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication either in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general

circulation.

Approved,