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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3731

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill which seeks to amend Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166,
entitled, “An Act Increasing the Authorized Campaign Expenditures of
Candidates and Political Parties and Defining an Independent Candidate for
this Purpose, Amending Section 13 of Republic Act No. 7166, Entitled, ‘An Act
Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral
Reforms, Authorizing Appropriations Therefore, and For Other Purposes” has
already been approved by the House of Representatives on its 3% and final
reading in the 17 Congress. To date, it has not yet been enacted into law. Due
to its significance as integral part of electoral reforms, there is a need to refile
this bill to address the financial expenditures of every candidate in every
national and local elections.

‘The authorized expenditure provided under Section 13 of Republic Act
No. 7166 allows a candidate for a President and Vice-President to only spend
ten pesos (P10.00) per registered voter. For other positions, except for an
independent candidate who is allowed to spend five pesos (P5.00) for every
registered voter, all candidates are allowed to spend three pesos (P3.00) for
every registered voter. For political parties, they are allowed to spend five pesos
(P5.00) for every voter currently registered in the constituency or constituencies
where they have official candidates.

The authorized amounts under Republic Act 7166 need to be amended
as they are unrealistic, restrictive, insufficient, and impractical. Given the past
electoral exercises, the expenditure limitations allowed under Republic Act
7166 can no longer accurately reflect the actual expenditures spent by
candidates.

Hence, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 3731

Introduced by Representative TYRONE D. AGABAS

AN ACT INCREASING THE AUTHORIZED CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES OF
CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEFINING AN INDPENDENT
CANDIDATE FOR THIS PURPOSE, AMENDING 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 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 aggregate amount that a candidate or registered political
party may spend for election campaign shall be as follows:

*(a) For candidates - [Ten] FIFTY pesos [(P10.00)] (P50.00) for
President [and]; FORTY PESOS (P40.00) For Vice-President; THIRTY
PESOS (P30.00) FOR SENATORS, DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN,
GOVERNOR, VICE-GOVERNOR, BOARD MEMBERS, MAYOR, VICE-
MAYOR AND COUNCILORS; AND TEN PESOS (P10.00) FOR PARTY-LIST


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PARTIES [and for other candidates, Three pesos (P3.00) for every voter
currently registered in the constituency where [he] THE CANDIDATE filed
[his] THE certificate of candidacy:

Provided, That, AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE OR a candidate
without any political party and without support from any political party
may be allowed to spend [Five] FORTY pesos [(P5.00)] (P40.00) for every
such voter; and

“(b) For political parties - [FIVE] THIRTY pesos [(P5.00)] (P30.00) for
every voter currently registered in the constituency or constituencies
where it has official candidates.

*FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, AN INDEPENDENT

CANDIDATE IS FURTHER DEFINED AS ONE WHO:

“(A) IS NOT NOMINATED BY A DULY REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTY OR
COALITION OF POLITICAL PARTIES OR ITS DULY AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE;

“(B) IS ISSUED A CERTIFICATE OF NOMINATION AND ACCEPTANCE
(CONA) THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY A POLITICAL PARTY OR
COALITION OF POLITICAL PARTIES NOT DULY REGISTERED WITH THE
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS (COMELEC);

“(C) REPUDIATES A NOMINATION ISSUED BY A DULY REGISTERED
POLITICAL PARTY OR COALITION OF POLITICAL PARTIES AT ANY TIME
BEFORE THE DATE OF ELECTIONS;

“(D) ACCEPTS A NOMINATION FROM MORE THAN ONE DULY
REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTY FOR THE SAME CONSTITUENCY,
EXCEPT IN CASES OF COALITION OF SAID POLITICAL PARTIES;


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“(E) FILES A CONA AFTER THE DEADLINE FOR THE FILING OF

CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY (COC);

“(F) FILES A COC WITHOUT A CONA;

“(G) Is ISSUED A CONA THAT Is SUBSEQUENTLY
CANCELLED,REVOKED, WITHDRAWN OR SUBSTITUTED BY THE
NOMINATING PARTY AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE DATE OF THE
ELECTIONS; OR

“(H) IS NOMINATED BY A DULY REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTY OR
COALITION OF POLITICAL PARTIES BUT WHICH NOMINATION IS
DENIED DUE COURSE BY THE COMELEC.

“Any provision of the 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 COMELEC shall, within ninety (90) days after the
affectivity of this Act, promulgate such rules and regulations necessary to
implement this Act.

SEC. 3, If any provision or part hereof is declared unconstitutional,
the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected shall remain in full

force and effect.

SEC. 4. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations or parts inconsistent with the provision of this Act are hereby

repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect immediately after Its publication
in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,