Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 11) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday clarified that the ₱13 billion added by the bicameral conference committee to its ₱41-billion budget can be used to conduct a possible national plebiscite on charter change.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Source, Comelec Chairman George Garcia explained that their request for an additional budget was supposed to be for preparations for the 2025 national polls and the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in the same year.
He admitted he was surprised when it was placed under the item “recall, initiative, referendum, and other election preparation.”
“Ang sabi na lang namin nung makita namin ‘yung budget, siguro kaya nilagay doon sa election preparation, tutal naman ‘yung preparatory national election and local election ng 2025 papasok pa rin sa preparatory,” he explained.
[Translation: When we saw the budget, we thought maybe it was placed under election preparation because we are preparing for the national and local elections in 2025, then it falls under preparatory.]
He confirmed this can be used to fund a possible plebiscite if such will be set for this year.
On Tuesday, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said the bicameral committee inserted an “excessive” amount under the 2024 budget of Comelec. He said from only ₱2 billion, the allocation for the ‘Conduct and supervision of elections, referenda, recall votes and plebiscites” was increased to ₱14 billion.
This was even bigger than the annual budget of some departments, Lagman added.
