THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) informed the House Committee on Appropriations that the postponement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) would entail additional P9.51 billion funding for 2023.

Comelec Chairman Erwin George Garcia, during the budget deliberation in the House of Representatives, said the budget will be used for the additional precincts since more Filipinos 15 years old and above will register to vote by next year.

The committee has terminated the briefing on the P5.22 billion budget proposal of the COMELEC for Fiscal Year 2023.

Likewise the substitute bill postponing the December 2022 BSKE to December 1, 2023 was approved by the committee. The bill substituted 41 measures authored by 75 lawmakers.

Among the major components of the Comelec’s proposal is for the construction of its own main office building in Pasay City.

Garcia reported that the government spends P169.79 million annually for the property the commission is currently leasing. The funding needed for the construction amounts to P9.33 billion.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman manifested support for the proposed project.

On the automated election system (AES), Garcia assured that all issues that arose in the recent elections would be considered and addressed before the 2025 elections.

Meanwhile, several lawmakers expressed support for the hybrid vote-counting system, in which ballots would be counted manually in precincts but transmitted electronically to the Board of Canvassers.

In reply to the query of Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga on how much funding would be needed for the conduct of the synchronized elections, Garcia said the agency would need P8.441-billion if the elections were to be held this year.

He said the Comelec has a savings of P7.583-billion which can be used as a continuing appropriation for next year.

Meanwhile, Garcia cited that the Comelec would need P17.93 billion if the elections are to be held in May 2023. But since it has a savings of P7.5 billion, then only an additional P9.51 billion needs to be allocated.

Lastly, if the polls were to be conducted in December 2023, the Comelec would need P18.44 billion. Deducting its savings of P7.5 billion, it will need an additional allocation of P10.85 billion.