ILOILO City – Today officially kicks off the 10-day campaign period leading up to the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
This period allows candidates and their supporters to engage in lawful election propaganda activities, including posting and distributing campaign materials.
Atty. Dennis Ausan, the director of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Region 6, has called on the approximately 150,000 candidates in Western Visayas to strictly adhere to the campaign rules and regulations laid out in the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).
“Let’s not show our current or potential constituents that we don’t follow the laws about campaigning even before we are elected,” Ausan emphasized.
Comelec officials in the region are closely monitoring the activities of candidates and their supporters to ensure compliance with the set guidelines.
To avoid potential penalties, such as disqualification or imprisonment, Ausan urges candidates to seek clarity from their respective election offices.
“If you have doubts or concerns, seek clarifications before taking any action, as it could lead to your disqualification or even imprisonment,” he cautioned.
Ausan also stressed the prescribed size for campaign materials intended for common poster areas.
“For our tarpaulins placed in common poster areas, we continue to follow the Fair Election Act’s (Republic Act 9006) guidelines, which state that the size should not exceed two feet by three feet,” he said.
Furthermore, Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9006, also known as the Fair Election Act, permits election propaganda across various mediums.
However, it emphasizes the importance of adhering to expense limits, maintaining truth in advertising, and operating under the supervision and regulation of the Comelec.
Lawful election propaganda include:
* pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed materials the size of which does not exceed eight and one-half inches in width and 14 inches in length;
* handwritten or printed letters urging voters to vote for or against any particular political party or candidate for public office;
* cloth, paper or cardboard posters whether framed, or posted, with an area not exceeding two feet by three feet, except that, at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, or in announcing the holding of said meeting or rally, streamers not exceeding three feet by eight feet in size, shall be allowed: Provided, that said streamers may be displayed five days before the date of the meeting or rally and shall be removed within 24 hours after said meeting or rally;
* Paid advertisements in print or broadcast media: Provided, that the advertisements shall follow the requirements set forth in Section 4 of this Act; and
* all other forms of election propaganda not prohibited by the Omnibus Election Code or this Act.
Atty. Reinier Layson, Iloilo Provincial Election Supervisor and concurrent City Election Officer, is one with Ausan’s call for lawful campaigning.
Layson reminded that campaigning is only allowed until Oct. 28 and is prohibited from Oct. 29 to Oct. 30, or the election day.
“I have to remind you that indi kita magbutang sang campaign materials sa aton waiting sheds, barangay halls, poste sang kuryente, sa mga kahoy kay bawal ini sia,” said Layson, adding the materials could just go to waste because the Comelec personnel and Philippine National Police (PNP) will confiscate those in violation.
He also said Comelec prohibits the distribution of other campaign materials like mugs bearing the names of candidates, t-shirts, bowlers, ball pens, among others, or anything of value that could be presumed to be vote-buying.
“Ang policy sang Comelec bawal maggamit sang t-shirts, kalo, things of value nga ihatag sa botante as form of campaign materials, kay bawal ini kay this will be perceived as vote-buying,” he said.
In September this year, Comelec Executive Director Atty. Teopisto Elnas Jr. issued a memorandum to all regional election directors and provincial election supervisors summarizing the election rules and regulations.
Prohibited election propaganda in common poster areas:
* Billboards, posters, tarpaulins exceeding two feet by three feet
* Campaign materials that violate gender sensitivity, obscene, discriminatory, offensive, and those that violate the Magna Casta for Women
* Posters that do not bear the words “Political advertisements paid for/by __, or the words “Printed free of charge”
* Posters that are “not stand-alone,” having the maximum size or lesser of two feet by three feet, and put together, or side by side to form a collage-like poster exceeding two feet by three feet
* Single letters of names having the maximum size or lesser than two feet by three feet, and then putting them together to form a size exceeding two feet by three feet
* Posters/tarpaulins bearing the photo/picture of the whole slate exceeding two feet by three feet
Posting of campaign materials
The posting of campaign materials in public places outside the designated common poster areas, on private property without the owner’s consent, or in violation of Section 242 of Resolution No. 10924 and similar locations listed in Section 240(f) thereof is prohibited.
“For this purpose, the election officer of the city or municipality where the illegal campaign materials are posted or displayed shall notify the affected candidates about the fact of such posting. Otherwise, if no action is taken within three days from the issuance of the notice, there arises a presumption that the said candidates caused the posting of such campaign materials,” it added.
The following public places will not be the subject of Baklas Operations, pursuant to the same section in Resolution 10924: plazas, markets, barangay centers, and other similar places where posters may be readily seen or read and with the heaviest pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic in the city of municipality.
Social media and internet campaigning
The Comelec stated it is permissible on various platforms, including television, cable TV, radio, newspapers, and the internet.
However, it must adhere to the prescribed limits on candidates’ authorized expenses, maintain accuracy in campaign materials, and be subject to oversight and regulations by the Comelec.
The electoral commission further stated it is forbidden as a form of election propaganda to publicly present, showcase, or exhibit in venues such as theaters, on television or radio broadcasts, through social media platforms, or any other public setting the life story of a candidate or if his/her character is portrayed by an actor or media figure.
During the election campaign period, any candidate, either alone or in collaboration with other contenders, is allowed to conduct peaceful online political gatherings, rallies, or similar events.
These political meetings, rallies and similar activities are not constrained by limitations or restrictions imposed by televised or broadcast advertising.
The act of live streaming on the candidate’s social media platforms will be deemed as an e-rally.
Every e-rally must include a disclosure stating its nature as a political gathering or rally and providing pertinent details regarding the date, time, and location.
Candidates may receive in-platform gifts and game currency but shall not be allowed to give gifts to livestream audiences or run promotions and campaigns that will award in-platform gifts or game currency to platform users and livestream audiences.
They are also required to include sign language interpreters and closed captioning in election propaganda intended for broadcast on television and/or the internet. They are also encouraged to make their respective campaign materials available in Braille.
Other prohibited election materials:
* Murals in public places which contain the name, image, logo, emblem, insignia, color, initials, and other symbolic or graphic representation that is capable of being associated with a candidate or party and is exclusively intended to draw the attention of the public or stimulate the support thereof to promote or oppose, directly or indirectly, the election of a candidate for a public office.
* The distribution of campaign materials that contain the name, image, logo, brand, insignia, color motif, initials, and other symbolic or graphic representation capable of being associated with a candidate or party, and is exclusively intended to draw the attention of the public or stimulate their support thereof to promote or oppose, directly or indirectly, the election of a candidate for a public office is prohibited.
* T-shirts, fans, ballers, hats, caps, ballpens, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, bags, sun visors, and other miscellaneous items of value
For BSKE 2023, there are 148,005 candidates (89,309 males and 59,695 females) in Western Visayas.
Here is the breakdown of the candidates per province:
* Aklan – 11,613
* Antique – 20,789
* Capiz – 16,957
* Guimaras – 3,601
* Iloilo – 65,405
* Negros Occidental – 29,640
Comelec-6 data further showed the following:
* punong barangay – 9,247 candidates
* barangay kagawad – 76,051 candidates for 28,357 vacant positions
* SK chairperson – 9,783 candidates for 4,051 vacant positions
* SK kagawad – 52,924 candidates for 28,357 vacant positions./PN
