Comelec: Proposed P145-million voter education allocation scrapped

Metro Manila, Philippines - There is no voter education budget next year as it was scrapped from the proposal of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), poll Chairman George Garcia said on Monday, Sept. 1.

Garcia shared the information during the House budget hearing; the amount was P145 million.

“Zero po kami sa 2026, simply because wala daw po namang preparatory election; sa 2027 pa po dapat,” Garcia said. “Pero alam n’yo po, ang voter’s education should be starting early.”

[Translation: We have zero allocation for voter education for 2026 simply because they said we do not have any preparatory election as it should be in 2027. But you know, voter education should be starting early.]

The chairperson said Comelec could do more besides facilitating voter registration in a non-election year. The next general election is in 2028.

“Napakadami naming pwedeng gawin ng two years before the elections such as research and development… Ano ba talagang klaseng makina ang gagamitin? Pa’no ba natin masisigurado na ang botante, ang kabataan ay boboto? Ano ba talaga ang issue sa misinformation, disinformation?” Garcia said.

[Translation: We could do a lot of things two years before the national election such as research and development. What machine should we use? How should we ensure that voters and the youth would vote? What are the issues on misinformation and disinformation?]

Expanding local absentee voting

Meanwhile, Garcia said he is in favor of including other frontliners in the local absentee voting (LAV). He said legislation is needed for it.

Under the LAV, government officials and the media are allowed to vote early so they can perform their duties on election day.

Garcia said expanding the LAV would result in a larger voter turnout.

“Wala po tayo for example, ‘yung mga linemen ng Meralco, ‘di tayo nag-a-afford ng early voting kasi wala sila sa batas. ‘Yung mga lawyers ng mga congressman ng mga tumatakbo, hindi po sila nag-e-early voting,” he said.

[Translation: Linemen and lawyers of candidates are not accorded with early voting.]

“Kung ma-a-amend natin ‘yung local absentee voting law, mag-i-include tayo ng mga critical sectors like ‘yung mga nurses, ‘yung mga social workers,” Garcia added.

[Translation: If we amend the local absentee voting law, we should include those in the critical sectors like nurses and social workers.]

He said he is also pushing for an early voting law, in which the elderly and persons with disability could vote a week before the scheduled elections.

The Comelec’s budget is P11.8 billion under the national expenditure program.

READ: Comelec needs additional P9 billion for 2026 barangay, SK polls