20th Congress
IN NUMBERS: Dynasties and Contractors Capture Party-list Seats in the 20th Congress
The party-list system was meant to challenge elite politics. But it has instead become a bastion of families and contractors. This report provides the numbers: half of the 64…
By Guinevere Latoza·March 12, 2026
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Marcos and Duterte received millions in contributions from contractors. Can—and will—they be held to account?
President Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte received tens of millions of pesos in campaign contributions from public works contractors despite a provision in the Omnibus…
By Guinevere Latoza·September 18, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
DOCUMENT: SOCE of 2025 senatorial candidates
By Carmela Fonbuena·July 3, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Top spender Camille Villar reports P179.6-M spending in 2025 campaign
Villar is followed by winning senators Lito Lapid and Pia Cayetano, as well as losing candidates Benjamin Abalos and Abigail Binay. All four reported spending more than P150…
By Carmela Fonbuena·July 3, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Camille Villar leads in Facebook ad spending, too
Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar topped ad spending on Facebook, a popular social media platform in the Philippines. She spent over P34 million to boost her posts from June 2024 to…
By Philippine Center For Investigative Journalism·May 12, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
8 Senate bets air TV, radio ads worth at least P1B before discounts
Top spenders Villar, Marcos, and Binay account for one third of the total P24-B spending from January 2024 to March 2025
By Carmela Fonbuena·May 9, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
PCIJ computation shows big discounts needed to keep billions in ads within campaign spending limits
Two candidates aired ads worth more or less P2 billion from January to December last year. Campaign finance laws do not cover these expenses, however. Spending limits only take…
By Carmela Fonbuena·February 12, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Before the campaign period, TV and radio ads of 2025 candidates exceed P10B before discounts
Daily average of 171 television ads aired in December 2024, when Filipinos were expected to stay home for the holidays.
By Carmela Fonbuena·February 11, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Are candidates funding their own campaigns? Camille Villar, Imee Marcos ads breach P1B
Scions of political clans ramp up spending in a Senate race packed by media celebrities.
By Carmela Fonbuena·January 14, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
2025 candidates air P4-B worth of TV, radio ads before October 2024 candidacy filing
Senatorial candidates Rep. Camille Villar and Sen. Imee Marcos account for half of the total advertisements aired from January to September 2024. Meanwhile, Camarines Sur…
By Carmela Fonbuena·January 13, 2025
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Spending of 3 Villar senators over 2 decades underscores rising cost of Philippine elections
Former Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. claimed he spent P38.5 million during his first bid for a Senate seat in 2001. Two decades later, his son Mark reported spending more than…
By Elafonbuena·October 16, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Camille Villar ramps up FB ad spending before COC filing, catches up with Wilbert Lee
The top ad spenders on Facebook are outside the ‘Magic 12’ of the September 2024 Pulse Asia senatorial survey.
By Elafonbuena·October 15, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
‘There is no premature campaigning in the Philippines’ — in photos
How much have aspiring 2025 candidates and their supporters spent this early? A lot. But they are not under any obligation to report these expenditures yet.
By Edwin Bacasmas For The Philippine Center For Investigative Journalism·October 2, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Who is Wilbert Lee? Party-list lawmaker is biggest spender on Facebook
The party-list lawmaker spent P2.5 million to boost posts on Facebok from April 20 to July 18, the latest available data on the platform as of July 21. He is just one of the…
By Marilyn Cahatol·July 22, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Senate aspirants ramp up Facebook spending 3 months before filing of COCs
Re-electionists, returning senators, Cabinet secretaries and other potential senatorial candidates have ramped up spending on Facebook less than three months before the filing of…
By Nash Villena·July 22, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Can Comelec regulate social media posts of candidates, influencers?
Comelec chair George Garcia is asking Congress for a new law to regulate social media content during elections. He says the elections body also wants to sign a memorandum of…
By Tjburgonio·May 29, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Bong Go leads ad spending on Facebook a year before 2025 polls
At least 14 potential senatorial candidates have spent over the last three months P3.54 million to boost their posts on the social media platform. Analysts say this amount is only…
By Carmela Fonbuena·May 13, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Comelec chief George Garcia makes 4 announcements at PCIJ conference
The premature campaigning ban will take effect as soon as the aspirants file their Certificates of Candidacies (COCs) in October this year. Election watchdogs said this will…
By Philippine Center For Investigative Journalism·May 12, 2024
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Villanueva got money from gov’t contractor; Ejercito, Padilla corporate donors exceed limits
The Omnibus Election Code prohibits donations from “natural or juridical persons who hold contracts or subcontracts to supply the government… with goods or services or to perform…
By Elyssa Lopez·May 12, 2023
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Moneyed kin, personal coffers paved Senate victories in 2022
Senatorial candidates in the 2022 polls won fresh terms by financing their campaign with money from family members and money from their own pocket.
By Cherry Salazar·May 9, 2023
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
‘Small donors’ backed Robredo presidential campaign
Big donors who gave P10 million to P20 million accounted for only 19% of Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign funds for the May 2022 presidential elections. The rest came from a…
By Carmela Fonbuena·September 21, 2022
