Candidates for public office, both local and national, should be guided by specific guidelines issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) stating that candidates for national positions in the May 10, 2010 polls are only allowed to have 120 minutes for their broadcast advertisements or election/electoral propaganda on television for the whole duration of the campaign period.

Likewise, they are given only 180 minutes to advertise on radio stations, the poll body added. "One-hundred-twenty (120) minutes on television or cable TV and one-hundred-eighty (180) minutes on radio, for all television or cable television networks, or all radio stations whether by purchase or donation, wherever located, per station," the Comelec said in its Resolution 8758 providing the rules and regulations implementing Republic Act No. 9006, otherwise known as the "Fair Election Practices Act."

The resolution was promulgated by the poll body on February 4, 2010. For candidates running for local positions, they are given 60 minutes and 90 minutes, to place advertisement on television and radio, respectively.

For advertisement in newspapers, the Comelec only allows one-fourth (1/4) page for broadsheets and one-half (1/2) page for tabloids.

The print advertisement should only be published not more than three times a week per newspaper, magazine or other publication during the campaign period.

For these expenses, a candidate running for national position, such as president, vice president and senator, is only allowed to spend P10 per voter; if he/she is under a political party, he/she has an additional P5 to spend.

If the candidate is running on his own or independent, he/she can only spend P5 per voter.

Meanwhile, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said the ad placement/advertisement in the World Wide Web or the internet is still free for all, as there is no enabling law that prohibits candidates to advertise in cyberspace.

"We did not touch internet advertisement, as far as the net is concerned, there are no guidelines as of yet... There’s no law in cyberspace campaigning, we could not have made guidelines for it," he explained.

At the same time, the Comelec official called on the candidates to strictly follow the law or face the consequences.

"For candidates, especially for those who have already released infomercials, those who already put up billboards, posters and streamers once the February 9 campaign starts, all of these things will be contraband. They will no longer be allowed, or if you persist in using them, that might have consequences for your campaign," he said.

However, he reminded the candidates to just post streamers or posters on the common poster areas the Comelec will be installing in areas being frequented by the public, such as plazas, markets, barangay centers and the like, where posters may be readily seen or read.

The size of each common poster area shall not exceed the following dimensions: for political parties and party-list groups, twelve (12) by sixteen (16) feet, or its equivalent but not exceeding a total area of 192 square feet; and for independent candidates, four (4) by six (6) feet or its equivalent but not exceeding a total area of twenty-four (24) square feet.

The campaign period for the national candidates officially starts on February 9 and ends on May 9, 2010.*