A Senate bill filed by Sen. Richard J. Gordon would cause a drastic paradigm shift in the nation’s electoral process. Senate Bill 1995, known as the “Campaign Reform Act of 2018,” proposes that there shall be two rounds of election for president, vice president and senators.

“The first round of election shall be held on the second Monday of March, while the second round of election shall be held on the second Monday of May. For the position of president and vice president, the five candidates who received the highest number of votes shall be able to participate in the second round. For the position of senator, the 24 candidates who received the highest number of votes shall be able to participate in the second round. In the second round, the winner shall be the candidates for president and vice president who received the most number of votes, and the 12 candidates for senator who receive the most number of votes” (Section 3).

Senator Gordon, in the 44th Top Level Management Conference of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) held on November 8, 2018, pointed out that the first round or primary elections (primaries) to be held for the positions of president, vice president and senators will give the candidates the opportunity to present their positions and for the people to vote for the candidates whose advocacies they support. It further allows the process of eliminating candidate with poor qualifications and to highlight the candidates that top the primaries to move on the next step leading to the election that includes town hall types of debates. For instance, said the Senator, during the primaries for senators, the candidates will be trimmed down to 24. These 24 senatoriables will then undergo town hall debates. The debates will ensure that the people will be well informed by vetting the candidates based on their capabilities and knowledge on the issues, international and national and local that are affecting our country.

Senate Bill 1995 recognizes that vast amounts of financial resources are necessary to support a campaign today, as prices of television and radio advertisements have become prohibitive (Explanatory Notes). Thus, in the campaign for the second round of elections, “No paid publicity or propaganda relating to the elections, whether by means of broadcast or television, radio, printed or social media, or wireless or digital means shall be made or caused to be made by any person or political party except the Comelec” (Section 4). The candidate and their political parties shall be allowed to campaign for only two weeks within the second round of election, upon the choice of the candidate.

During such period, the candidate is allowed to spend up to the following amounts on television and radio advertisements: i) Candidates for president may spend not more than the total salary of an incumbent president for a period of six years. ii) Candidates for vice president may spend not more than the total salary of an incumbent vice president for a period of six years. iii) Candidates for senator may spend not more than the total salary of an incumbent senator for a period of six years.

Paid campaign and advertisement shall, likewise, be subject to the following limitations: a) Television—Not more than a total of 14 minutes of television advertising, whether appearing on national, regional or local, free or cable television. b) Radio— Not more than a total of 28 minutes of radio advertising, whether airing on national, regional, or local radio, whether by purchase or donation. c) Printed or Published Election Propaganda—The maximum size of print advertisements for each candidate shall be one-fourth (1/4) page in broadsheets and one-half (1/2) page in tabloids.

During the campaign period, media outlets shall give the Comelec, and registered political parties and registered candidates during the period they are allowed to campaign by means of paid political publicity or propaganda, a discount of 40 percent for television, 30 percent for radio and 10 percent for print, over the average of the published rates charged during the last three calendar years for television and radio, and over the published rates charged one year prior to the election for print media. Nothing in this provision prohibits a media outlet from giving higher discounts; Provided that the discount it gives one candidate shall be the same discount it gives to other candidates of the same position. In no case shall rate charged to registered political parties and registered candidates be higher than rates charged to non-political advertisers.

Any person found guilty of violating this Section shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation. In addition, any person convicted of any violation shall be sentenced to suffer disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right of suffrage. Any political party found guilty shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than P10 million, which shall be imposed upon such party after criminal action has been instituted in which their corresponding officials have been found guilty.

For candidates for president, vice president and senators who proceed to the Second Round, the Comelec is required to purchase radio and television time for debates among these candidates within the area of coverage of such radio and television stations and shall organize town hall debates for these candidates. A candidate who fails to participate for two consecutive debates without lawful excuse shall be disqualified from continuing as a candidate, unless by reason of physical disability. In such a case, the candidate shall be allowed to appoint a representative in the debate. To oversee the implementation of this Act, the proposed bill provides for the creation of the “Campaign Advertisements Oversight Management Office” under the supervision of the Comelec (Section 9).

While well intentioned, it is already clear that this bill, if approved, will be honored more in its breach than its observance. Public office in this country, sadly and frustratingly, is not a public trust but is private property—and like private property, it can be bought, stolen, borrowed and inherited. Which is why candidates will spend whatever it takes to win an election and acquire that public seat. And, of course, once elected, to get back all that they have spent and more, much, much more!

I once ran for a Senate seat in my recent past—the lesson I learned… never again!

I will choose other battles to fight.