THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
Second Regular Session 
1 
REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
6 MRR -8 P1 2 8  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act No. 9006 removed the prohibition on political advertisements in 
mass media. The main objective for lifting the political ad ban is to provide for a level 
playing field among all candidates for public office. To achieve this objective, RA 9006 
prescribed a limit on the airtime (for television and radio advertisements) that may be 
used by any candidate or political party. 
On 06 January 2004, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) En Bunc issued 
Resolution No. 6520 to implement RA 9006. Section 13, par. 1 (a) practically increased 
the prescribed (air)time limits when it provided that the 180 minutes (for television) and 
120 minutes (for radio) was the maximum for all television or radio station, instead of 
being the aggregate limit regardless of the number of radio or television station. 
Because of said COMELEC resolution, we witnessed a deluge of political 
advertisements on radio and television during the 2004 national and local elections. 
Candidates computed their airtime limits on a per station basis. Thus, the airtime limits 
for political advertisements were practically rendered useless in its objective to level the 
playing field among the candidates for public office. Candidates with an enormous 
political warchest were able to procure radio and television airtimes way beyond what is 
prescribed in FL4 9006. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this bill earnestly requested. 
Senator 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
6 yp,~ -8 P I  2 8  
Second Regular Session 
1 
S.B.NO. 2% 3 
AN ACT 
AMENDING SECTION 6 OF REPUBLIC ACT 9006, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
“FAR ELECTIONS ACT OF 2001” 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives ofthe Pptilippines in 
coegress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Republic Act No. 9006, Section 6 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Sec, 6. Equal Access to Media Time and Space. - All 
registered parties and COALITIONS [bona fide candidates] 
shall have equal access to media time and space. The 
following guidelines may be amplified by the COMELEC: 
6.1 
Print advertisements shall not exceed one-fourth (1/4) 
page in broadsheet and one-half (1/2) page in tabloids 
thrice a week per newspaper, magazine or other 
publications, during the campaign period. 
(a) Each [bona fide candidate or1 registered political 
party OR COALITION for a nationally elective 
office shall be entitled to AN AGGREGATE OF not 
more than one hundred twenty (120) minutes of 
television advertisement and one hundred eighty 
(180) minutes of radio advertisement whether by 
purchase or donation. THE TIME LIMITS 
HEREIN PROVIDED SHALL BE COMPUTED 
BASED ON THE SUM OF ALL THE AIRTIME 
PROCURED 
FROM 
ALL 
FFtEElCABLE 
TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS. EACH 
REGISTERED 
POLITICAL 
PARTY 
OR 
COALITION 
SHALL 
DISTRIBUTE 
SAID 
AGGREGATE 
TIME 
AMONG 
ITS 
CANDIDATES. 
6.2 
6.3 
(b) Each [bona fide candidate or1 registered political 
party OR COALITION for a locally elective office 
shall be entitled to AN AGGREGATE OF not more 
than sixty (60) minutes of television advertisement 
and ninety (90) minutes of radio advertisement 
whether by purchase or donation. 
THE TIME 
LIMITS HEREIN PROVIDED SHALL BE 
COMPUTED BASED ON THE SUM OF ALL 
THE AIRTIME PROCURED FROM ALL 
FREEKABLE 
TELEVISION 
AND 
RADIO 
STATIONS. EACH REGISTERED POLITICAL 


PARTY OR COALITION SHALL DISTRIBUTE 
SAID AGGREGATE 
TIME AMONG 
ITS 
CANDIDATES. 
For this purpose the COMELEC, shall require any broadcast station or 
entity to submit to the COMELEC a copy of its broadcast logs and 
certificates of performance for the review and verification of the 
frequency, date, time and duration of advertisements broadcast for any 
candidate or political party.’’ 
SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. All laws,. decrees, Executive Orders, Letters of 
Instruction, Letters of Implementation, Rules and Regulations or parts thereof 
inconsistent wit any provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, superseded or 
amended accordingly. 
SECTION 3. Effectivity. This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, 
whichever comes first. 
Approved.