Comelec chief: Candidates' names, logos on govt cars prohibited

No more candidates' names, logos or initials on government vehicles, ambulances, lampposts or signs when the campaign period starts. This will be part of the Commission on Elections' stricter rules on campaigning, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said on his Twitter account. "Names, images, logo and initials of candidates in government cars, ambulance, lampposts, signage... will be treated as prohibited propaganda," Brillantes tweeted. He said the Comelec will similarly prohibit election propaganda on public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys, taxis, pedicabs and tricycles. The prohibition will apply as well to such transport terminals and airports, he added. Brillantes likewise stressed the prohibition of posting of election propaganda on trees. A no-plastic policy will extend to election propaganda on local government units with the appropriate ordinances, he said. However, Brillantes admitted the new rules will not take effect until the campaign period starts. The campaign period starts Feb. 12 for candidates running for national posts including senator; and March 30 for those running for local posts. While the campaign period for local posts is to start March 29, the date falls on Good Friday – a day when campaigning is prohibited. Tandem ads Brillantes also said tandem ads of a party list and a candidate and joint ads or multiple candidates in one ad "will be charged to the airtime of EACH candidate so appearing." Earlier, Brillantes said the Comelec wants to see fewer political ads this year, as TV and radio advertising will be treated as aggregate and no longer per station. "[For national candidates] 120 minutes of TV and 180 minutes of radio advertising now 'aggregate' and NO LONGER per station as in previous years," he said. He also said radio and TV stations will be required to report and furnish the Comelec their broadcast advertisement contracts for Comelec to monitor. For local candidates, he said they will have an aggregate of 60 minutes of TV ads and 90 minutes of radio ads.  — LBG, GMA News