Two presidential candidates have already breached half of the campaign spending limit set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), according to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).

Citing Nielsen Media’s monitoring reports on campaign spending, the PCIJ said that from Feb. 9 to March 31, Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance is the biggest spender so far among the presidential candidates in terms of campaign ad placements which had reached nearly P345 million.

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Nielsen’s latest report covered the first 50 days of the official campaign and was based on the published rate cards for TV, radio, print, and outdoor ad placements.

Sen. Grace Poe, who is running as an independent candidate, came in second in campaign ads spending with P331.4 million for the same period.

“By the end of last month, thus, both Binay and Poe had managed to breach half the official spending limit for presidential bets based on Nielsen data alone, with Binay at 63.44 percent and Poe at 60.97 percent,” the PCIJ report said.

The official 90-day campaign period for national candidates began on Feb. 9.

The campaign-spending limits set by Comelec—P10 per registered voter for presidential and vice presidential posts; P5 per registered voter for independent senatorial candidates, as well as for political parties and party-list organizations; and P3 per registered voter for Senate bets from political parties—are in effect only during this period.

Comelec records show that as of Jan. 7, the country has a total of 54,363,844 registered voters.

“This means that for the May 9 polls, the campaign-spending limit for presidential and vice presidential aspirants is P543,638,440 per candidate; P271,819,220 for independent senatorial candidates, political parties, and party-list organizations; andP163,091,532 for senatorial candidates fielded by political parties,” PCIJ report said.

Former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II of the Liberal Party (LP) was the third biggest spender on campaign-ad placements during the first 50 days of the campaign period. He spent a little more than P200 million on ad placements, or some P100 million less than what Poe spent.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban spent a total of P110.36 million for campaign ads during the period.

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“Then there are the ads featuring yet another candidate for president, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, which cost the People’s Reform Party P59.14 million. Recorded by Nielsen as having aired from Feb. 9 to Mar. 31, the ads do not have Defensor’s name as payor,” the PCIJ said.

Roxas’s running mate, Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo led the vice presidential candidates in terms of ad-placement expenditures.

According to PCIJ, from Feb. 9 to Mar. 31, Robredo had a total ad-placement bill of P237.2 million, including tandem ads with Roxas that were paid for by LP.

Francis “Chiz” Escudero was the No. 2 highest spender at P236.2 million.

A far third in terms of ad-placement spending was Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who spent P172.4 million, PCIJ said.

Among the senatorial candidates, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Francis Tolentino was the biggest spender for ad-placements worth P135 million.

Three other candidates for senator, however, have already breached the cap’s halfway point: Sen. Franklin Drilon of the LP (almost P94 million, 57.01 percent) and Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (P84.4 million, 51.76 percent), and former Sen. Richard Gordon (P83.4 million, 51.75 percent), according to the data gathered by PCIJ.

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