Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) plans to request an additional PHP4 billion from Congress if the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are postponed to next year.
According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia highlighted the need for this supplementary budget to accommodate nearly 2.8 million new voters who registered during the recent 10-day voter registration period for the BSKE. Garcia explained that although the current PHP11 billion budget remains untouched, the potential reset necessitates additional funds for new ballots, precincts, and other election-related expenses, including salaries for teachers and procurement of election materials.
Garcia emphasized that while preparations continue for the scheduled December 1 polls, the existing budget is fully allocated. 'Procurement should continue... There are many possibilities, so we continued because those supplies have not yet been delivered,' he stated. This ongoing preparation is despite the anticipation that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will sign legislation postponing the elections from December 2025 to November 2026.
During the August 1-10 registration period, Comelec processed a total of 2,727,643 applications, with 590,639 applications submitted on the final day alone. The Calarbarzon region recorded the highest number of registrants, followed by the Negros Island Region, Central Luzon, and Bicol. In contrast, the Cordillera Administrative Region had the lowest number of applications, with 48,757. Despite the influx of registrants, Garcia reported that the registration process was peaceful and successful.