Party-list groups used by top bets to continue airing TV ads

Conclusion

Based on reports ABS-CBN 2 submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the party-list group AAPS, or the Association of Administrators, Professionals, and Seniors (formerly known as the Association of Retired Teachers or ART according to the group’s website) had already secured ad spots with the network giant until May 8, 2010, the end of the official campaign period. It signed an advertising contract with the network on April 14, 2010 for 248 spots of 30-second ads worth P58.4 million in cash.

TV networks impose a “pay before broadcast” rule on political ad buyers.

Dr. Edna Azurin, AAPS’s first nominee, signed the contract that was booked by ad agency Starcom Philippines, the same agency that represents and books ads for Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. and the Nacionalista Party in ABS-CBN, GMA 7, TV5, QTV11, and other TV blocktime programs and cable networks.

Nielsen data show that in just two days—on April 16 and 17—AAPS had splurged an indicative amount of P5.4 million on ads at ABS-CBN 2 and GMA 7 alone.

Another party list group that dwells on Villar’s candidacy is AGHAM or the Alyansa ng mga Grupong Haligi ng Agham at Teknolohiya Para sa Mamamayan Inc. It has aired different versions of ads extolling Villar’s record in providing housing and livelihood, job creation, and education.

Villar himself is the poster-boy in all the ads. And in the pattern of the Akap Bata and AAPS ads, AGHAM’s ads make only fleeting mention of the group’s name in the last frame with this tagline: “Manny Villar at AGHAM Party List, Karanasan, Kakayahan, Kontra Kahirapan.” Interestingly, two versions of AGHAM’s ads feature the same female and male child talents who performed in Villar’s “Dagat ng Basura” ads.

This is AGHAM’s second bid for a congressional seat. It first ran but lost in 2007. Angelo Palmones, former station manager of ABS CBN 2’s dzMM radio, heads AGHAM. On April 17, the day AGHAM’s ads first aired, the group spent P1.3 million.

The latest to join the attack of ads in favor of presidential candidate Villar is veteran party-list group Butil, which is credited as sponsor of the ads featuring Villar’s mother, Curita “Nanay Curing” Bamba Villar. The two-part ad first came out on April 26, the same day Villar’s mother and siblings appeared in a press conference to insist that Villar grew up in abject poverty. The ad shows “Nanay Curing” talking about the illness and death of son Danny, and lamenting the criticisms hurled against son Manny.

Butil party-list first ran in 1998 and has since been elected to seats in Congress. The group gets token mention in its own “Nanay Curing” ads that bear the tagline, “Manny Villar at Butil Party List, Galing sa mahirap, tumutulong sa mahihirap.”

P18-M Akbayan ads

Not to be outdone, the Liberal Party (LP) candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd, has also marshaled party-list groups in his air war for the presidency.

One such group is Akbayan, whose representative, Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros, is a senatorial candidate of the LP. Akbayan’s ads, which began airing on April 9, make no mention of the group’s advocacies or achievements in its 12-year stint in Congress. Instead, the ads extol the qualities of Aquino as a candidate, and string up footage of Noynoy being cheered on by campaign rally crowds.

Akbayan gets no mention in its own ads until the last frame’s tagline, “Noynoy Aquino and Akbayan Partylist: Ipapanalo ang Mamamayan.”

All the ads were “paid for” and “paid by” Akbayan party-list as well. Per Nielsen’s data, in just one week when its ads aired, Akbayan had already spent P18.3 million.

Another party-list group airing ads that seem to benefit Aquino is AGAP, or the Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, which aims to “protect and promote the welfare of farmers” according to the group’s Multiply account. Its official website was hacked recently.

The ads that are “paid for” and “paid by” AGAP feature actress Vilma Santos-Recto, reelectionist governor of Batangas and wife of LP candidate for senator, Ralph Recto.

Santos-Recto is shown endorsing Aquino for the entire duration of the AGAP ads. Again, it is only in the last frame’s tagline where the group gets mention: “AGAP [Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Phil.] No. 47 sa balota.”

AGAP’s headquarters is located in Lipa City, Batangas. It is currently represented in the Fourteenth Congress by Nicanor Briones and Cesar Cobrador, who remain the group’s first and second nominees for the May 2010 elections.

A third party-list group whose ads redound to Aquino’s benefit is An Waray, whose website proclaims it to be “the representative of the poor and marginalized in Congress.”

The group’s ads feature Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero endorsing Aquino as his presidential candidate. Like Akbayan and AGAP though, An Waray is almost a non-entity in its own ads until the last frame kicks in: “83 An Waray Party List.”

Nielsen data are available only up to April 17 and thus do not yet cover the ad values of Butil, AGAP and An Waray as of this writing.

Besides these seven party-list groups, seven others have aired television ads focusing on their respective advocacies, and without any references to the presidential candidates. This second group of seven party-list groups airing their respective unique ads are Agbiag, AKB (Ako Bicol Political Party), AMS (Alyansa ng Media at Showbiz), Anak Mindanaw, Buhay, CIBAC (Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption) and PBA (Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta).–CHE DE LOS REYES Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism