Imee on P1-billion campaign ads expenses: ‘Hindi totoo yan’

Local

PRESIDENTIAL sister and Sen. Imee Marcos refuted a report from Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) that said she spent P1 billion on her campaign for reelection in the 2025 midterm elections.

In a press conference after an event in Barangay Labangon, Cebu City, on Friday, January 24, Marcos labeled the claims as false and impractical.

She described the alleged campaign spending as a waste, emphasizing her preference for initiatives that directly help the people

"Hindi totoo yan, kung may ganyan klase akong pera, hindi totoo yan kung may ganyan klase akong pera, binili ko nalang ng bigas at saka NutriBun para ibigay sa lahat. I'd rather spend it for that," she said.

NutriBun is a nutrient-enriched bread developed in the 1970s during Ferdinand Marcos Sr.'s administration with support from USAID to combat malnutrition among children.

Senator Imee has since relaunched a modern version of NutriBun as one of her programs.

She said that if she had such an amount, she would have spent it on providing rice and nutribuns for Filipinos, saying it would have been a better use of the funds.

"No, that's not true at all.So, I wish we could prove and show that in fact we don't spend that kind of money," she said.

P1 billion spending

The PCIJ reported that Marcos spent P1 billion on political ads from January to September 2024, based on data from Nielsen Ad Intel. According to the report, she aired 1,145 ad spots in September alone, worth P303 million.

PCIJ revealed that over P4 billion in political ads aired on TV, radio, and print media before the October 2024 filing of certificates of candidacy.

Marcos and Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar reportedly topped the list, each spending around P1 billion.

The scale of campaign spending has drawn concern from experts like University of the Philippines Political Science Associate Professor Jean Encinas Franco, who said such expenditures likely involve personal or family wealth. She added that this trend raises concerns about fairness and potential conflicts of interest.

“The amounts are staggering. It tells you that [campaign spending] will go up as we move forward in the 2025 elections,” Franco said.

Advocates for electoral reform criticized the staggering campaign expenditures and called for stronger regulations on campaign spending.

Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Luie Guia emphasized the need to amend the Omnibus Election Code to ensure a fair electoral process.

“Candidates have recognized that they have to really project themselves earlier on as serious contenders. Unfortunately, that means spending so much money to have a more effective reach,” Guia told PCIJ.

Data from Nielsen Ad Intel highlighted that traditional media, particularly television, accounted for 90 percent of campaign budgets.

While digital platforms such as Facebook play a significant role, the cost of these campaigns remains challenging to quantify due to limited transparency.

Labangon event

Marcos emphasized her commitment to public service, stressing the need for campaign expenditures to remain reasonable and meaningful.

She said that extravagant spending could divert resources from her efforts to address the needs of Filipinos and urged for better fund allocation to benefit communities.

On Friday, Marcos led a livelihood program under her "Imeesolusyon" initiative, where she provided at least 200 single mothers from Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and Cebu City with San Miguel products worth P5,000 each for reselling.

She also handed out toys and NutriBuns in various flavors to schoolchildren in Barangay Labangon.(MyTVCebu)