In the past, funds always pour in during election period. According to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, presidential candidates spent a total of ₱1.91 billion in 2016. Among them: Sen. Grace Poe who spent ₱510.8 million, ex-Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II (₱487.3 million), ex-Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay (₱463.4 million), ex-Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte (₱371.5 million), and the late Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (₱74.7 million). These amounts were only based on their formal reports and did not include funds spent by allies and unnamed supporters.

In the upcoming elections, the Ibon Foundation estimates that a presidential candidate will spend an average of ₱3 billion each, vice-presidential candidates will spend ₱1 billion and senatoriables, ₱350 million each.

Aside from them, the following will probably spend the according funds: For those running for Congress, ₱15 million; for governor, ₱15 million; vice-governor, ₱7.5 million; Board member, ₱1 million; mayor, ₱3 million; vice mayor, ₱1.5 million; councilor, ₱100,000.

All in all, election spending can reach up to ₱76.56 billion for 54,292 government positions. On top of this is the Commission on Elections’ ₱26.9-billion election budget.

Aside from the funds directly channeled to people in the form of vote buying, candidates spend money for advertisements, both in traditional and social media. A big amount is also spent on mammoth campaign rallies and the engaged service, transportation and accommodation sectors.

In the past, electoral spending contributed 1% to the gross domestic product. According to experts, it might be lower this year, since the country is coming from a 2-year economic slump due to the Duterte regime’s failed Covid-19 pandemic response. Also, stimulus from the election spending will be temporary, according to Ibon. It will not spur the economy this year, and might even cause inflation at the end of the year.