Bill providing 50% discount to election ads passes House on 3rd reading

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure which seeks to implement a 50 percent discount in the rates of political advertisement in television, radio and print media during the campaign period.

With a vote of 185 in the affirmative, zero in the negative and zero abstentions, the chamber on Monday approved House Bill 6604, which also aims to amend Section 11 of RA 9006, otherwise known as "The Fair Election Act."

The bill seeks "to provide equal opportunity among qualified political candidates to avail affordable political propaganda through tri-media... by regulating the rates and increasing discounts."

The bill mandates media outlets to provide registered political parties and bona fide candidates a 50 percent discount for political propaganda on television, radio and print during the campaign period.

"In no case shall rates be charged to registered political parties and bona fide candidates be higher than the rates charges to regular advertisers," the bill read.

Moreover, the bill states that the Commission on Elections has the power to regulate the rates of political propaganda.

The agency is also mandated to prevent media outlets from increasing the rates of the advertisements to more than the average rates charged to regular advertisers one year before the start of the campaign period.

Principal authors of the bill include Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and Minority Leader Danilo Suarez. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News