UMVA has learned that the Commission on Elections is taking a bold step to ensure it can finance special elections without last-minute scrambles, following a recent crisis that left the agency scrambling for funds.
The Commission on Elections is pushing for a dedicated standby fund for special elections in future national budgets, after repeated reductions in its proposed appropriations left the agency reeling. This move comes on the heels of a possible congressional special election in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, which could cost a whopping P200 million.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the Commission on Elections Chairman revealed that the agency has no specific budget for special elections and is studying fund realignments, while also eyeing the government’s contingency fund as a possible source. The commission had previously sought around P100 million for such contingencies but received a paltry P11 million.
The funding issue has sparked concerns about the perceived infrequency of congressional vacancies. The Commission on Elections Chairman suggested that budget officials and lawmakers may have deemed the allocation unnecessary, given that congressmen do not frequently die, resign, or get removed from office.
The Commission on Elections is now weighing August 22 or August 29 as possible dates for the special election in Cavite’s 4th district, which has about 437,730 registered voters. The special election could cost roughly double the P98 million spent in Antipolo City, which had about 200,000 voters.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the Commission on Elections is determined to avoid another funding crisis and is taking proactive steps to ensure it can conduct special elections without delay. The agency’s bold move is set to have far-reaching implications for the country’s electoral process.
