Marcos party declares P272-M campaign spending in Eleksyon 2022

The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, the political party of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., spent P272 million in the May 2022 elections, based on its Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).

According to Atty. George Briones, PFP general counsel, the P272 million worth of expenses in the last presidential campaign was “well below the maximum expenditure of P337 million allowed by law for a national political party.”

The 400-page SOCE, filed with the Commission on Elections on Monday, was signed by PFP national treasurer Anton Lagdameo, who was picked by Marcos to be the Special Assistant to the President (SAP) under his administration.

Atty. Rico Alday of the PFP clarified that the amount was the expenses only of the political party. He said a big chunk of this was allocated for television advertisements.

The party also allocated a huge part of the P272 million for rally expenses, Alday said. 

"I think kayo na rin ang makakapagsabi niyan [you can say that], it's TV ads. TV ads 'yung malaking [the biggest] bulk," Alday told reporters.

"Well of course, voluminous 'yung document, ngayon lang namin natapos [we only finished it now]," he added, when asked why the party preferred to submit the SOCE on June 6.

Asked when Marcos will file his SOCE, incoming Press Secretary Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles said: "We have no information on President-elect Bongbong Marcos, after all, we still have two days to go so it's early."

Section 14 of Republic Act 7166 states that "every candidate and treasurer of the political party shall, within 30 days after the day of the election, file in duplicate with the offices of the Commission the full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election."

It adds that: "No person elected to any public offices shall enter upon the duties of his office until he has filed the statement of contributions and expenditures herein required." —KBK/RSJ, GMA News