Political candidates need money (lots and lots of it) to campaign and operate during the elections but how much does it cost to become a political candidate? Lets calculate:

• DZRH political ads cost P20,000 per 30 seconds

• A 30- second TV ad costs around P230,000

These figures do not yet include the cost of posters, transportation, communication, food and other expenses candidates incur during the election. Here are other facts on campaign costs:

• In 2004, Mar Roxas spent around P94 million and Nene Pimentel, P18 million.

• In 2001, the People Power Coalition (PPC} spent around P2 million to P3 million A MONTH for one radio station alone.

• According to Yolly Ong, a senatoriable should have at least P50 million while candidates in the local posts may spend as much as 20-30 million pesos.

The data in this article are taken from abs-cbnnews.com and pcij.org.