Official campaign period starts today - Comelec

The race is on for the 65 senatorial candidates and 155 party-list groups in the May 2025 midterm polls as the 90-day campaign period for national elections officially began at midnight.

- MAYEN JAYMALIN

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia reminded candidates for national and party-list seats to strictly comply with campaign regulations and to show respect by not campaigning during unholy hours.

"Respect for people who are asleep, no campaigning at 2 a.m. or in the wee hours. There's perfect time and place to campaign," Garcia said in a radio interview. The campaign period ends on May 10, two days before election day.

There will be a pause in campaigning on April 17, Maundy Thursday, and on April 18, Good Friday.

For the local elections, a 45-day campaign period runs from March 28 until May 10.

Garcia said candidates are only allowed 120 minutes to air their political campaigns per television station and 180 minutes per radio station during the 90-day campaign period.

For the entire campaign period, Garcia said, candidates with political parties can only spend P3 per registered voter while independent bets can spend P5. Political parties and party-list groups are each allowed to spend P5 per registered voter.

He said the poll body will closely monitor the campaign spending of all candidates who are required to submit statement of contribution and expenditures (SOCE) after the elections.

For the first time, Garcia said, Comelec will be posting the SOCES of all candidates to allow the public to scrutinize them.

"You will see who donated, how much was spent and how much was left, or if the required taxes on what was left had been paid, or if the donor was allowed under the law to make donation or contribution to a campaign," Garcia pointed out.

He reiterated that law enforcers are allowed to arrest without warrant anyone caught in the act of attempting or engaging in vote-buying or vote-selling.

The poll body, he said, is also undertaking measures to prevent vote-buying through e-wallet platforms.

In a related development last night, Garcia told