THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will push for a dedicated standby fund for special elections in future national budgets after repeated reductions in its proposed appropriations left the agency scrambling to finance a possible congressional special election in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, BusinessWorld reported.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said on Wednesday the poll body’s current budget is insufficient to conduct the Dasmariñas election, which may be necessary if the House of Representatives declares a vacancy. The commission had requested additional funds but faced cuts during the budget deliberation process, leaving it with limited resources for unforeseen electoral exercises.
The Comelec plans to lobby Congress for a permanent contingency fund in the General Appropriations Act to cover special elections, avoiding future funding gaps. The Dasmariñas case highlights the fiscal challenges of holding out-of-cycle polls, which are not routinely budgeted for by the national government.