Legarda: Monitor Campaign Ad Spending

NP-NPC-LDP VICE PRESIDENTIAL BET LOREN LEGARDA TODAY CALLED FOR A CLOSE MONITORING OF ALL CANDIDATES’ CAMPAIGN AD SPENDING, VOWING HERSELF TO STAY WITHIN THE ALLOWED AD BUYS.
“That’s the most responsible thing to do – for candidates to discipline themselves in the campaign spending. That’s the only way we can level the playing field for all,” she said.
Legarda, however, questioned rival Mar Roxas’ campaign ad spending which has already risen to P1.3 billion, according to the Nielsen media monitoring.
When 2009 closed, Roxas had already spent P851M. From January to February this year, he had spent P395M.
Roxas comes from the old-rich Araneta clan that owns vast tracts of land, more prominently the Araneta Center, a prime property in Cubao, Quezon City.
Roxas had been eyeing the presidency since early 2009, but kept trailing behind in the surveys. The highest rating Roxas got in 2009 was 13% in May 2009. He ranked 5th among rumored candidates.
When the idea of Benigno Aquino III’s candidacy came up after President Aquino’s death, in the process splitting the opinion of LP stalwarts, Roxas decided to slide down to the vice presidency.
But by the time Aquino announced his presidential candidacy on September 2009, Roxas’ ads had been running on TV for months.