#Halalan 2025 is fast approaching, and premature campaigning has happened left and right even before the official 90-day period mandated by COMELEC. Retention and expanding reach have been essential factors in the Philippine political scene. Hence, politicians up for re-election and aspiring public servants do whatever it takes, no matter how expensive, spending millions or even billions of pesos to secure a seat in their chosen position. 

Campaign expenses cover TV ads, machinery, paraphernalia, and billboards. In recent years, social media expenses for these candidates have skyrocketed, with massive spending on ads and fees for popular social media personalities and influencers. With candidates backed by family names and big corporations, politics in the country has become an exclusive game for the wealthy. Moreover, another major driver of massive spending is vote-buying—an issue that has persisted over the past years. This practice is deeply ingrained in the Philippine system, especially in rural communities. Distributing groceries and cash in exchange for votes may be illegal, but despite efforts to combat it, it continues to thrive since people require immediate aid. As a result, more deserving and qualified candidates with limited budgets are discouraged and losing.

Under Republic Act No. 7166, a candidate running for President or Vice President should spend only Php 10 per voter, while other candidates and those without political party support are limited to Php 3 per voter. Meanwhile, political parties are allowed to spend Php 5 per voter. Despite this law, many politicians have exceeded these limits. However, since this law applies only during the official campaign period, they evade liability by spending before it officially starts.

In the most recent election in May 2022, Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) revealed which national candidates spent the most. Current President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. (PBBM) topped the list of biggest spenders, with a total of 623 million pesos from personal funds, in-kind donations, and cash. He was followed by former Vice President Leni Robredo, who spent 388 million, and Isko Moreno, with 242 million.  Among the Vice President candidates, VP Sara Duterte topped the list with 266 million and Tito Sotto came from behind with 157 million. Meanwhile, for the senators, Alan Peter Cayetano logged the biggest expenditure with 245 million, Richard Gordon with 195 million, and former VP Jejomar Binay with 180 million. 

Even before the official start of the campaign period for the midterm elections in May 2025, two senatorial candidates from influential political families have emerged as the biggest spenders since early 2024 according to Nielsen Ad Intel. Senator Imee Marcos, the sister of PBBM, and Camille Villar, the daughter of Senator Cynthia Villar have already spent a staggering 1 billion pesos on TV and radio ads alone. This does not include social media ads, ad production costs, influencer fees, and other regular campaign expenses.

There is a saying, “Kung gaano kalaki ang ginastos sa kampanya ay mas malaki ang babawiin kapag sa puwesto ay nakaupo na.” Excessive campaign spending often leads to corruption and questionable government projects, as winning candidates seek to recover their expenses. There have also been instances where elected officials prioritize the interests of wealthy donors over the public good.

This issue is no stranger to the Filipino people. We already know this. It is a never-ending cycle in our political landscape, where elections become a game in which those who can spend the most have the upper hand—overshadowing the real public servants with genuine platforms for service and governance.