13'" CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
A/ 
w 
S. Bill No. 
41322 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
EXPLANATORY 
NOTE 
Mass media plays a very vital role in the decision-making process of Filipinos. This was 
proven by the recent elections, which showed that most candidates who got elected owed their 
victories largely to their catchy campaign slogans, upbeat jingles, and excessive television exposure. 
Philippine campaign politics have always been criticized for being immature, and for being 
nothing more than a mere popularity contest. 
This measure seeks to correct this notion by 
promoting a refocused campaign strategy, which veers away from the practice of amassing financial 
wealth and building influential connections in order to get elected. 
Specifically, this bill seeks to amend Section 6.2 of Republic Act No. 9006, otherwise known 
as the "Fair Elections Act" by clarifymg the aggregate duration of time that a candidate, or registered 
political party, party-list group, organization and/or coalition may use for their broadcast 
advertisements. 
The current law provides that candidates for a nationally elective office shall be entitled to 
not more than one hundred twenty (120) minutes of television advertisement and one hundred 
eighty (180) minutes of radio advertisement, while those running for a locally elective post shall be 
entitled to not more than sixty (60) minutes of television advertisement and ninety (90) minutes of 
radio advertisement. 
Considering that the law as stated did not categorically state that the time allotted for T.V. 
and radio ads refer to all T.V. and radio stations, the COMELEC resolved the issue through 
Resolution No. 04-113, clarifying that the said time allocations refer to "each" radio and television 
station. 
With this resolution, one can just imagme how much a candidate actually spent in his bid to 
get elected, and whether his expenses complied with the Y t s  on campaign spending set by law. 
This also promotes the practice of amassing financial wealth and building influential elections to 
ensure one's victory. 
By limiting the aggregate duration of time that a candidate, or registered political party, 
party-list group, organization and/or coalition may use for their broadcast advertisements, the 
competition becomes less of a popularity contest as the candidates are faced with limitations in their 
campaign spending. 
Candidates are instead able to focus their meagre resources to resourceful 
ways of providing intelligent information to voters by c a m p a p g  about issues and government 
platforms rather than engaging in cheap campaign gimmicks. 
In order to provide an election atmosphere 
responsible choices based on platform and issues and not 
make intelligent and 
consideration of this 
measure is earnestly sought. 


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13’“ CONGRESS OFTHE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
‘04 JUL. -6 At0 :I 1 
S E N A T E  
A/ 
1322 
S. Bill No. 
Introduced by Senator Ra&h G. Recto 
AN ACT 
CLARIFYING THE AGGREGATE DURATION OF TIME THAT A CANDIDATE, OR 
REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTY, PARTY-LIST GROUP, ORGANIZATION 
AND/OR COALITION MAY USE FOR THEIR BROADCAST ADVERTISEMENTS OR 
ELECTION PROPAGANDA, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 6.2 OF 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9006, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “FAIR ELECTIONS ACT” 
SECTION 1. 
Section 6.2 of Republic Act No. 9006, otherwise known as the “Fair 
Elections Act” is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Sec. 6.2 THE DURATION OF TIME THAT A CANDIDATE, 
OR REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTY, PARTY-LIST GROUP, 
ORGANIZATION AND/OR COALITION THEREOF MAY USE FOR 
THEIR 
BROADCAST 
ADVERTISEMENTS 
OR 
ELECTION 
PROPAGANDA SHALL BE, AS FOLLOWS: 
a. 
FOR CANDIDATES/REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTIES 
FOR A NATIONAL ELECTIVE POSITION A TOTAL OF ONE 
HUNDRED TWENTY (120) MINUTES FOR ALL TELEVISION OR 
CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS, AND ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY 
(180) MINUTES FOR ALL RADIO STATIONS WHETHER BY 
PURCHASE OR DONATION. [Each bona fide candidate or registered 
political party for a nationally elective office shall be entitled to not more than 
one hundred twenty (120) minutes of televisian advertisement and one hundred 
eighty (180) minutes of radio advertisement whether by purchase or donation. ] 
b. 
FOR CANDIDATES/REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTIES 
FOR A LOCAL ELECTIVE POSITION: A TOTAL OF SIXTY (60) 
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MINUTES FOR ALL TELEVISION OR CABLE TELEVISION 
STATIONS, AND NINETY (90) MINUTES FOR ALL RADIO 
STATIONS WHETHER BY PURCHASE OR DONATION: [Each bona 
fidk candidate or regstered political party for a locally elective office shall be 
entitled to not more than sixty (60) minutes of television advertisement and 
ninety (90) minutes of radio advertisement whether by purchase or donation.] 
PROVIDED, THAT A COPY OF THE BROADCAST 
ADVERTISEMENT 
CONTRACT 
BE 
FURNISHED 
THE 
COMMISSION, THRU THE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION 
DEPARTMENT, BEFORE AIRING SAID ADVERTISEMENTS. 
For this purpose, the COMELEC shall require ALL [any] broadcast 
stations or entitIES[y] to submit to the COMELEC a TRUE copy of THEIR 
[its broadcast logs and] certificates of performance for the review and 
verification of the frequency, date, time and duration of advertisements 
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broadcast for any candidate, [or] political party, OR PARTY-LIST GROUP, 
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ORGANIZATION AND/OR 
COALITION, h
D
 SUBMIT ITS 
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BROADCAST LOGS WHENEVER REQUIRED. 
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SEC. 2. Separubihg CLaufe. - If any provision of this Act or the application thereof is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, all the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid. 
SEC. 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, rules and regulations 
or parts thereof which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, 
modified or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 4. Effectiig Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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