Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Poll watchers make sure the ballot box is now empty before they starting the count at the end of voting at Paranaque Elementary School Central in Paranaque City on October 30, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

BSKE

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175670849817320231030-bske-2023-paranaque-JC-13.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Poll watchers make sure the ballot box is now empty before they starting the count at the end of voting at Paranaque Elementary School Central in Paranaque City on October 30, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeks to increase its proposed 2026 budget by at least P6 billion and up to P9 billion to fund the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections rescheduled next year.</p><p>The Department of Budget and Management proposed a funding of P11.8 billion for the Comelec for 2026, out of poll body’s proposed P18 billion budget.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/comelec-to-ask-for-additional-p4-b-if-bske-is-postponed-to-2026-1742">Comelec to ask for additional P4-B if BSKE is postponed to 2026</a></div><p>But during Monday’s budget briefing before the House Committee on Appropriations, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the proposed budget under the 2026 National Expenditure Program will not be enough to fully fund the BSKE, citing the growing number of registered voters, which require additional voting precincts and teachers facilitating the polls.</p><p>The Comelec expects registered regular voters to increase to 71 million for the barangay polls next year from the 68.4 million during the 2025 midterm polls. That’s on top of the projected 24 to 25 million voters for the sangguniang kabataan elections.</p><p>Garcia estimates the Comelec will need a minimum of P6-billion budget augmentation to implement the BSKE next year given the expected number of voters. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/13/marcos-jr-signs-law-postponing-2025-barangay-sangguniang-kabataan-polls-1938">Marcos Jr. signs law postponing 2025 Barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan polls</a></div><p>But in order to fully fund the additional P2,000 honoraria of teachers serving in the polls, and the additional support staff, the budget augmentation should be at around P9 billion, according to the poll body’s chief.</p><p>Last month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law the measure postponing the BSKE from December 2025 to November 2026.</p><p>“So ‘yung budget na naibigay sa amin for (BSKE originally scheduled this) December does not include the new additional voters, does not include additional honoraria for teachers. Tinanggal kasi ng executive. Ibig sabihin ‘yung tinanggap ng mga guro natin noong national and local elections noong 2025, na may dagdag silang P2,000 across the board, ay wala po sa budget para sa barangay and SK,” Garcia told the House panel.</p><p>“Sana po mapag-isipan din po natin. Kawawa naman po ‘yung mga guro... Sapagkat kung magse-serve sila ng eksaktong alas tres ng madaling araw pa lang para makapagbukas ng presinto, tapos ang matatanggap pa rin po nila ay yung tinatanggap bago po ang national and local… kawawa naman po ‘yung kalagayan ng ating mga guro,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>VOTER EDUCATION</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>FPJ Panday Bayanihan Rep. Brian Poe, meanwhile, finds “unacceptable” the proposed zero funding for voter education initiatives next year.</p><p>Garcia said the Comelec proposed P145 million funding for the item, but it was removed.</p><p>“Zero po kami sa 2026, simply because wala daw preparatory election. Sa 2027 pa dapat. Pero alam nyo, voter education should be started early. Sayang po ‘yung two years eh,” Garcia told the panel.</p><p>“This is unacceptable. Kung gusto natin ng reform, lalu na para sa mga eleksyon natin, kailangan natin pondohan ang voter education,” Poe said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JlptIgld-rk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Comelec chair George Garcia said the proposed Comelec budget for 2026 will not be enough to fully fund the BSKE set next year.</p>

Comelec chair George Garcia said the proposed Comelec budget for 2026 will not be enough to fully fund the BSKE set next year.

Comelec seeks up to P9B additional budget for 2026 to fund postponed BSKE

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Comelec seeks up to P9B additional budget for 2026 to fund postponed BSKE

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 01, 2025 02:35 PM PHT

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Comelec

BSKE

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