Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte each won landslide victories in the May 2022 polls, but their spending is worlds apart. Duterte spent only P3 per voter to win a national post. Marcos spent P9.60 per voter, almost breaking the spending cap.

Partido Federal ng Pilipinas footed 40% of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign bill through party treasurer Antonio Ernesto “Anton” Floirendo Lagdameo Jr., grandson of his father’s close business associate. The remaining cost was covered by today’s opulent names in real estate, retail, construction, and shipping industries.

Party-list groups with wealthy and prominent nominees spend most on election ads.

Former public works secretary Mark Villar and Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Joel Villanueva belong to families running firms that need government franchises. They aired ads worth more than P1 billion in traditional media from Jan. 2021 to Jan. 2022.