Political parties and candidates may soon be entitled to 50 percent discount for political propaganda on television, print, and radio, as the House passed on third and final reading House Bill 6604.
The bill seeks to amend Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9006, otherwise known as the “Fair Election Act.” The section provides for regulation of rates of political propaganda.
One of the amendments of HB 6604 to Section 11 of the Fair Election Act provides that parties and candidates will be charged only 50 percent for political propaganda across all media outlets.
The measure further prohibits the tri-media from charging registered parties and bona fide candidates higher rates than regular advertisers.
Another key provision of the bill is the power vested upon the Commission of elections (COMELEC) to regulate the rates of political propaganda and prevent media outlets from raising rates to more than the average rates charged to regular advertisers a year prior to the start of the campaign period.
The measure seeks to provide equal opportunity among qualified political candidates to avail affordable political propaganda through the tri-media by regulating advertising rates increasing discounts during the election period.
Before the passage of HB 6604, Section 11 of the Fair Election Act provided that media outlets charge registered political parties and bona fide candidates during the campaign period a discounted rate of 30 percent for television, 20 percent for radio, and 10 percent for print over the average rates charged during the first three quarters of the calendar year preceding the elections.
The bill was endorsed for plenary approval by the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms chaired by Rep. Sherwin Tugna (Party-list, CIBAC).
The bill is principally authored by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Reps. John Marvin Nieto (3rd District, Manila), Rosanna Vergara (3rd District, Nueva Ecija), Estrellita Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija), Michelle Antonio (Party-list, AGIBAG), Jose AntonioSy-Alvarado (1st District, Bulacan), and Eleanor Bulut-Begtang (Lone District, Apayao). Other authors are Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas (1st District, Ilocos Norte), Minority Leader Danilo Suarez (3rd District, Quezon), and Reps. Tugna, Henry Oaminal (2nd District, Misamis Occidental), Deputy Speaker Gwendolyn Garcia (3rd District, Cebu), Reps. Pabl Ortega (1st District, La Union), Edcel Lagman (1st District, Albay), Jose Atienza, Jr. (Party-list, BUHAY), Harry Roque, Jr. (Party-list, KABAYAN), Eugene Michael De Vera (Party-list, ABS), Francisco Datol, Jr. (Party-list, SENIOR CITIZEN), Cristal Bagatsing (5th District, Manila), Sharon Garin (Party-list, AAMBIS-OWA), Rozzano Rufino Biazon (Lone District, Muntinlupa City), Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan), Eric Olivarez (1st District, Parañaque City), and Florida Robes (Lone District, San Jose Del Monte City). / CMBE | HOR-PR
