How the Senate race was won—in terms of campaign spend
All winning senatorial candidates in the May midterm polls spent millions for their campaigns, with most of these expenditures going to advertisements not only in traditional media but online.
Sen. Camille Villar was the highest spender at around P179.64 million, based on her statement of contributions and expenditures posted on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) website.
In second place was Sen. Lito Lapid at over P163.58 million, followed by Sen. Pia Cayetano (P162 million), Sen. Imee Marcos (P139 million), and Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (P128.72 million);
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go (P127 million), Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (P119 million), Sen. Rodante Marcoleta (P112.85 million), Sen. Erwin Tulfo (P110 million), Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (P96.63 million), and Sen. Bam Aquino (P86 million).
Least spender
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, on the other hand, spent the least among the winning candidates at only P18.95 million.
Three candidates who lost the race spent considerably more than Lacson: Ben Tulfo (No. 13, P72.68 million); Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. (No. 14, P128.13 million), and Abby Binay (No. 15, P157.86 million).
Surprisingly, Manny Pacquiao, among the world’s richest boxer with an estimated $220 million (about P12 billion) net worth only spent P28.57 million. Pacquiao, who ran for president in the 2022 elections, ranked 18th in the final senatorial tally.
Donations
When it comes to cash and in-kind contributions, Cayetano received the highest amount at P169.62 million, followed by Dela Rosa (P160.601 million), Lapid (P160.3 million), and Villar (P159.64 million).
The amount of total contributions received by Marcos was not indicated, but it was noted that she received P138.5 million in cash contributions.
Go received P125.94 million; Erwin Tulfo, P120.13 million; Pangilinan, P119.4 million; Lacson, P118.51 million; Aquino, P86.96 million; and Sotto, P35.5 million. Meanwhile, Marcoleta received zero contributions.
In comparison, Ben Tulfo received P74.111 million; Revilla, P125.03 million; and Binay, P161 million. Pacquiao only received around P24.94 million.
Advertisements
The biggest expense for the candidates was for advertisements in newspapers, radio, television, website or internet, with eight out of the 12 winning candidates spending over P100 million.
Villar also spent the most for ad placements amounting to P175.83 million. Her second biggest expense was P2.6 million for stationery and the printing and distribution of campaign materials.
Spending focus
On the other hand, Lacson spent the least in advertising with only around P14.76 million. He also spent P2.3 million for printed campaign materials, and P1.1 million for compensating his campaign staff.
Most of the candidates tended to focus on spending for TV, radio, newspaper and online advertisements. Lapid spent around P136 million in ad placements, while his second biggest expense was P11.74 million for campaigners and other persons employed for his campaign.
Cayetano spent more for her ads, reaching up to P154.95 million. Her other expenses were P3.99 million for the distribution of printed campaign materials and P2 million for travel expenses.
Marcos spent P126.68 million for ad placements, P6.85 million for printing campaign materials and P3.44 for compensating her election staff.
Dela Rosa’s expenses for advertisements reached P128.47 million. His only other spending was the P256,792 for the travel expenses of his campaign personnel as well as his own.
Ad placements
Go, meanwhile, spent P113.51 million on ads, P8.2 million for printing and distributing campaign materials, and P4.18 million for travel.
Pangilinan spent P116.46 million on ads, with travel expenses as his second biggest expense at P1.13 million.
Erwin Tulfo’s expenses amounted to P104.68 million for ad placements, while his second highest expense was at P4.3 million for his travel costs.
Marcoleta, for his part, spent P83 million on ads and P14 million on printing and distributing campaign materials.
He also spent P10.34 million for political meetings and rallies, the most out of all the elected senatoriables.
Sotto spent P89.38 million on ads and P7.17 million on travel expenses, while Aquino spent P67.1 million on ads, P7.97 million on travel expenses, and P4.2 million on printing campaign materials.
Required by law
As for some of the losing candidates, Ben Tulfo spent P43 million on ad placements, P16.233 million for travel expenses, and P13 million for printing and distributing campaign materials.
Revilla spent P108.76 million on ads, P11.81 million on printing campaign materials, and P2.88 million on travel expenses.
Binay spent P149 million on ads, more than 10 of the winning candidates. She also spent P4.05 million on printing campaign materials and P3.8 million on travel expenses.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, spent P24.3 million on ad placements, P1.98 million on travel expenses, and P1.76 on printed campaign materials.
According to Section 14 of Republic Act No. 7166, all candidates and treasurers of political parties are required to submit the “full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the election” within 30 days after the polls.
The same provision states: “No person elected to any public office shall enter upon the duties of his office until he has filed the statement of contributions and expenditures herein required.”
