THE House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a measure that would increase the authorized campaign expenses of candidates in national and local elections.

House Bill 8370, which got 268 yes votes, three no votes and one abstention, seeks to amend Section 13 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7166, entitled, “An Act providing for synchronized national and local elections and for other electoral reforms, authorizing appropriations therefor, and for other purposes.”

The P3 to P10 expense limit per registered voter under the current law “is no longer realistic,” according to Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

This cap was set almost 32 years ago, in November 1991, when the law was enacted. Factoring in annual inflation, a candidate’s P3 or P10 three decades ago may amount to nothing today.

Romualdez said increasing the amount candidates can spend for their campaign would allow aspirants for public office to better present themselves to voters and the public in general through the mainstream media, social media and other platforms or modes of campaigning.

“In that sense, the bill would widen the opportunity for the electorate to scrutinize the aspirants and to eventually choose the best, the brightest and the most qualified. The proposed law would enhance the exercise of the freedom of suffrage and strengthen democracy,” he added.

The bill would also encourage transparency and honesty among candidates and political parties in reporting campaign expenses to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

HB No. 8370 is a consolidation of six related measures, including BillbNo. 2702, authored by Representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre of Tingog Sinirangan Party-list.

Under HB No. 8370, the candidates’ campaign expense limits would be P50 for president, P40 for vice president and P30 for senator, district representative, governor, vice governor, board member, mayor, vice mayor, councilor, and party-list representative for every voter registered in the constituency where the candidate filed his certificate of candidacy.

The present law sets a cap of P10 for presidential and vice presidential candidates, and P3 for other aspirants.

The proposed amendment does not change the limit for independent candidates, which is P5 for every voter.

For political parties, the expense ceiling would go up from P5 to P30 for every voter in the constituency where they have official candidates.

The bill authorizes the Comelec, in consultation with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Philippine Statistics Authority, to adjust the campaign expense limits per registered voter based on the inflation rate and consumer price index.

The Comelec is also mandated to issue implementing rules and regulations.