I.

CAMPAIGN PERIODS
Elective Office
Start
President,
Vice
President, 09 February 2016
Senator and Party-List groups
participating in the party-list
system of representation
Members of the House of 25 March 2016
Representatives,
regional,
provincial, city and municipal
officials

II.

End
07 May 2016

07 May 2016

PROHIBITED CAMPAIGNING
Maundy Thursday (24 March 2016)
Good Friday (25 March 2016)
Eve of Election Day (08 May 2016)
Election Day (09 May 2016)

III.

AUTHORIZED EXPENSES OF CANDIDATES AND PARTIES

Elective Office
President and Vice-President
Other candidates

Aggregate Amount of Expenses

Php 10.00 for every registered voter
Php 3.00 for every voter currently
registered in the constituency where
the candidate filed his COC
Other candidates without any political Php 5.00 for every voter currently
party AND without support from any registered in the constituency where
political party
the candidate filed his COC
Political parties and party-list groups
Php 5.00 for every voter currently
registered
in
the
constituency
constituencies where it has official
candidates
*However, it is unlawful for any foreigner (juridical or natural person) to directly
or indirectly aid any candidate, or political party, organization or coalition, or to
take part in, or influence in any manner, any election, or to contribute or make
any expenditure in connection with any election campaign or partisan political
activity.
IV.

LAWFUL ELECTION PROPAGANDA

a. Pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed
materials (shall not exceed 8 inches in width and 14 inches in length);
b. Handwritten or printed letters urging voters to vote for or against any
particular political party or candidate for public offense;

c. Posters made of cloth, paper, cardboard or any other material, whether,

framed or posted (not exceeding 2 ft. x 3 ft.);
d. Streamers not exceeding 3 ft. by 8 ft. displayed on the site and on the
occasion of a public meeting or rally. (May be displayed 5 days before the
date the date of the meeting or rally and shall be removed within 24
hours after said meeting or rally);
e. Mobile units, vehicles, motorcades of all types (whether engine or
manpower-driven, animal-drawn, with or without sound systems or loud
speakers, with or without lights);
f. Paid advertisements (print or broadcast);
g. In the headquarters or residences of candidates any of the foregoing may
be displayed except streamers referred to in (d);
h. All other forms of election propaganda not prohibited under Omnibus
Election Code or these rules.
*Any person may seek authority to use other forms of election propaganda not
mentioned above and not prohibited by law by filing with the COMELEC,
through the Clerk of the Commission, a verified petition in 8 copies, describing
the election propaganda with samples thereof.
V.

PROHIBITED FORMS OF ELECTION PROPAGANDA

a. To print, publish, post or distribute any published or printed political
matter (newspaper, newsletter, newsweekly, gazette or magazine
advertising, pamphlet, leaflet, card, decal, bumper sticker, poster, comic
book, circular, handbill, streamer, sample list of candidates) and to air or
broadcast any election propaganda or political advertisement (by
television or radio or on the Internet) for or against a candidate or group
of candidates to any public office unless they bear and be identified by the
words political advertisement paid for, followed by the true and correct
name and address of the party or the candidate for whose benefit the
election propaganda was printed or aired AND unless they bear and are
identified by words political advertisements paid by followed by the
true and correct name address of the payor;
b. Election propaganda in print, publish, broadcast, display or exhibit
donated or given free of charge by any person or mass media entity to a
candidate or party without the written acceptance of the said candidate or
party, AND unless they bear and identified by the words printed free of
charge, or airtime for this broadcast was provided free of charge by,
followed by the true and correct name address of the mass media entity;
c. To show, display or exhibit publicly in a theater, through a television
station, or any public forum any movie, cinematography or documentary,
including concert or any type of performance portraying the life or

biography of a candidate, OR in which a character is portrayed by an actor

or media personality who is himself or herself a candidate;
d. To sell or give free of charge print or advertising space or airtime for
campaign or election propaganda purposes to any candidate or party in
excess of the size, duration or frequency authorized by law or these Rules;
e. To allow the scheduling of any program, or permit any sponsor to
manifestly favor or oppose any candidate or party by unduly or repeatedly
referring to, or unnecessarily mentioning his name, or including therein
said candidate or party; and
f. To post, display or exhibit any election campaign or propaganda material
outside of authorized common poster areas, in public places*, or in private
properties without the consent of the owner thereof.
*Public places include:
1. Publicly-owned electronic announcement boards;
2. Motor vehicles used as patrol cars, ambulances, and for similar purposes
particularly those bearing government license plates;
3. Public transport vehicles owned and controlled by the government;
4. Waiting sheds, sidewalks, street and lamp posts, electric posts and wires,
traffic signages and other signboards erected on public property;
5. Schools, public shrines, barangay halls, government offices, health centers,
public structures and buildings or any edifice thereof;
6. Within the premises of public transport terminals, owned and controlled
by the government.
VI.

LIMITATIONS ON THE USE OF ELECTION PROPAGANDA THROUGH

MASS MEDIA
a. Broadcast Election Propaganda
Elective Position
Candidates/Registere
d Political Parties for
National
Elective
Position

Air Time
Not more than a total of 120 minutes of
television advertising, on a per originating
station basis (whether on national, regional, or
local, free or cable television), and 180 minutes of
radio advertising, on a per originating station
basis, whether airing on national, regional, or
local radio, whether by purchase or donation.
Candidates/Registere Not more than a total of 60 minutes of television
d Political Parties for advertising, on a per originating station basis
Local Elective Position (whether on national, regional, or local, free or
cable television), and 90 minutes of radio
advertising, on a per originating station basis,

whether airing on national, regional, or local

radio, whether by purchase or donation.
-

In cases where two or more candidates or parties are displayed or

mentioned together in the broadcast propaganda or advertisements,
the length of time during which they appear or are being promoted
will be counted against the airtime limits allotted for the said candidate
or parties. Further, the cost of the length of time during which they
appear shall be computed as a fraction of the total cost of the
advertisement and considered as their respective expenditures, to be
deducted from the total cost of the advertisement.

The appearance or guesting by a candidate on any bona fide newscast,

interview or documentary shall not be deemed broadcast election
propaganda IF the appearance of the candidate is only incidental to the
presentation of the subject/s covered by the news documentary or onthe-spot coverage of bona fide news events.

b. Printed or Published Election Propaganda

In broadsheets
In tabloids

page maximum
page maximun

Two or more candidates, political party, or party-list may cause

publication featuring more than one candidate provided that the size
and frequency limitations shall apply to each candidate, political party
or party-list appearing or promoted in such advertisement. Further, the
cost of which shall be pro-rated between those appearing in the said
advertisement.

Shall not be published more than 3 times a week per newspaper,

magazine, or other publication (either by purchase or free of charge).

c. Online Election Propaganda

Name
Rectangles and Pop-ups
Medium
Square Pop-up
Vertical Rectangle
Large Rectangle
Rectangle
3:1 Rectangle
Pop-Under
Banners and Buttons
Full Banner

Width/pixels

Height/pixels

Aspect Ratio

300
250
240
336
180
300
720

250
250
400
280
150
100
300

1.2
1
1.67
1.2
1.2
3
2.4

468

60

7.8

Half Banner
Micro-Bar
Button 1
Button 2
Vertical Banner
Square Button
Leaderboard
Skyscrapers
Wide skyscraper
Skyscraper
Half-Page ad

234
88
120
120
120
125
728

60
31
90
60
240
125
90

3.9
2.84
1.33
2
2
1
8.09

160
120
300

600
600
600

3.75
5
2

Shall not be published more than 3 times a week per newspaper,

magazine, or other publication (either by purchase or free of charge).

The exhibition or display for any length of time, regardless of

frequency, within a 24 hour period, shall be construed as one instance
of publication.

d. Common Limitations

VII.

The election propaganda through mass media shall bear and be

identified by the reasonably legible or audible words political
advertisement paid for, followed by the true and correct name and
address of the party or the candidate for whose benefit the election
propaganda was printed or aired AND unless they bear and are
identified by words political advertisements paid by followed by the
true and correct name address of the payor.

If election propaganda is donated by the publishing firm or given free

of charge by any person or mass media entity to a candidate or party,
they shall bear and be identified by the words printed free of charge,
or airtime for this broadcast was provided free of charge by,
followed by the true and correct name address of the publishing firm
or broadcast entity. This must be accompanied by the written
acceptance by said candidate or party, through the party treasurer.

RATES FOR POLITICAL PROPAGANDA

Media outlets shall charge parties and candidates a discounted rate for their
election propaganda during the first 3 quarters of the calendar year preceding the
elections, as follows:
a. Television 30%
b. Radio 20%
c. Print 10%

VIII. POSTING OF CAMPAIGN MATERIALS

a. Authorized common poster areas in public places; and
b. Private property with the consent of the owner and in compliance with
lawful election propaganda.
IX.

COMMON POSTER AREAS

a. Limitations subject to prior consent from the COMELEC:
5,000 registered voters or less
1 common poster area
For every increment of 5,000 registered 1 additional common poster
voters, or a fraction thereof, thereafter
area
b. The Election Officer may designate such public places such as plazas,
markets, barangay centers and the like, where posters may be readily seen
or read, and with the heaviest pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic;
c. Size of each common poster area:

Political parties and party-list groups 12 x 16 ft., or its equivalent but

not exceeding a total area of 192 sq. ft.
Independent candidates 4 x 6 ft. or its equivalent but not exceeding a
total area of 24 sq. ft.

d. Sizes of individual posters shall not exceed 2 x 3 ft.

e. Common poster area for party-list groups, organizations or coalitions
ratio of 1 common poster area for every 32 party-list groups, organizations
and/or coalitions thereof.
X.

LIMITATION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF HEADQUARTERS

Registered
party
with
national constituency and a
national candidate
Registered political party
with regional constituency
Registered political party
with
provincial
constituency
and
a
provincial candidate
Congressional candidates

1 headquarter
urbanized city

in

each

province

or

highly

1 headquarter in each province

urbanized city in the region
1 headquarter in each municipality

or

highly

1 headquarters in the legislative district they seek

to represent. Should the legislative district be
composed of several municipalities, they may be

allowed to establish 1 headquarter per

municipality
City candidates
1 headquarter per councilor district
Municipal candidates
1 headquarter for the entire municipality
*Lawful election propaganda may be displayed at the headquarters.
**All parties and candidates shall submit within 5 days from their establishment,
the list showing the specific locations and addresses of all their headquarters.
XI.

ELECTION SURVEYS
Any person, whether natural or juridical, candidate or organization may
conduct election surveys during the election period. Should they decide to
publish the said survey, they must also publish the following:
a. Name of the person, candidate, party or organization that
commissioned, paid for, or subscribed to the survey;
b. Name of the person, polling firm or survey organization which
conducted the survey;
c. Period during which the survey was conducted, methodology used,
number of individual respondents and their areas, and the specific
questions asked;
d. Margin of error;
e. For each question where the margin of error is greater than that
reported under paragraph d the margin of error for that question;
and
f. A mailing address and telephone number of the sponsor.

XII.

EXIT POLLS REQUIREMENTS:

a. Shall not be conducted within 50 meters from the polling place;
b. Pollsters shall wear distinctive clothing and prominently wear their
IDs issued by their organization;
c. Pollsters shall inform the voters that they may refuse to answer; and
d. Results may be announced after the closing of the polls on election
day, and must identify the total number of respondents and the
places where they were taken. Said announcement shall state that
the same is unofficial and does not represent a trend.

XIII. RALLIES, MEETINGS AND OTHER POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

a. Notify the election officer concerned of any public rally to be held in
the city or municipality within 3 working days prior to the date
thereof;
b. Must include the venue and exact address; and
c. Within 7 working days thereafter submit to the election officer a
Statement of Expenses incurred.

- Application must be in writing. Any application not acted upon within 3 days
from the date of its filing shall be deemed approved.
- Denial of an application shall be solely on the ground that a prior written
application by any other candidate or party has been approved. Such denial may
be appealed to the Provincial Election Supervisor, or to the Regional Election
Director, for cases in the NCR, who shall decide the same within 48 hours after
the filing of the appeal. The decision shall be final and executor.
- However, it is unlawful for any candidate, party or any person to give or accept,
free of charge, directly or indirectly, transportation, food and drinks, or anything
of value during and within the 5 hours before and after a public meeting or to
give or contribute, directly or indirectly, money or things of value for such
purpose.