MANILA — The House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to raise the cap on campaign expenditures of candidates and political parties.
The House passed House Bill No. 7295 with 188 affirmative votes, six negative votes, and zero abstention.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7166 or “An Act Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms”.
Under the bill, presidential candidates may spend up to PHP50 per voter, while vice presidential candidates may spend up to PHP40 per voter. The current authorized expenditure is PHP10.
Meanwhile, candidates for senator, district representatives, governor, vice governor, board members, mayor, vice mayor and councilors may spend PHP30 per voter.
Candidates for party-list representatives may spend PHP10 per voter from the current cap of PHP3.
An independent candidate, without any political party, may be allowed to spend PHP40 per voter from the current PHP5 cap.
As for political parties, a PHP30 cap per voter is allowed for the campaign expenditures. (Filane Mikee Cervantes/PNA)
