Comelec asks Congress to increase 2022 budget

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday called for an increase in its P26-billion proposed budget for next year when the national elections will be held.?

During the budget hearing, Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas asked congressmen to restore their proposed P41.992-billion budget for 2022 that was slashed by P15.495 billion in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress.

Abas revealed that their budget in the NEP does not include the special risk allowance (SRA) or hazard pay for election workers, including teachers who will serve as board of election inspectors (BEIs).?

“As to the hazard pay, we asked that of DBM. Unfortunately, it was not approved. Right now, our budget does not cover hazard pay,” he revealed to members of the appropriations committee.

“I hope you will also consider a special risk allowance because we are in a pandemic. We should consider a counterpart of the health workers’ SRA and service credits.

The law says we should give five days of service credits. I hope this will be increased,” Abas said.

Lawmakers agreed to the need to increase the poll body’s budget for 2022, an election year, and with the country still expected to be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.?

During the hearing, ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro also raised the proposed P2,000 increase in the honorarium of poll workers across the board, which she believed will not be enough.?

“Teachers spend an entire day during elections. They also attend trainings and webinars. They also go to the school ahead of election day to prepare the rooms and machines.

I think the P2,000 increase in honorarium across the board for our volunteer election personnel is too low,” the militant lawmaker argued.?

Castro then proposed to double the increase in honorarium of BEIs to P4,000.?

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas II said Congress should look into the budget cut as sufficient funding would be crucial in the conduct of the national and local elections in May 2022.?

Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso III vowed to push for restoration of the Comelec’s proposed budget in the plenary deliberations, stressing that the credibility of the elections would hinge on the people manning the voting precincts.   ?

Comelec has allotted P13.63 billion for the national and local elections, P111.91 million for overseas voting and continuing registration and P8.44 billion for the Sangguniang Kabataan and barangay elections.?

The panel terminated the budget briefing on the poll body’s 2022 budget which will be tackled in the plenary later this month.

Divine intervention

Meanwhile, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) yesterday launched a nine-month novena mass as part of its efforts to pray for divine intervention for a peaceful, orderly and honest May 2022 national and local elections.

“Let our every action in these elections be guided by these basic values for good citizenship so that those elected be exemplars of these values,” the PPCRV said in a statement, adding that the novena mass will be held until election day on May 9, 2022.

Incoming Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David led the first novena mass yesterday.

“The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting is launching this ‘Prayer Power Campaign’ to promote some very basic values, especially in preparing for the 2022 election. And what values are we talking about? Maka-Diyos, makatao, makabayan at makakalikasan,” David said.

In another development, Comelec reminded the public to avoid the rush and have themselves registered as there are only 19 days left before the Sept. 30 deadline of voters’ registration.

?The Comelec said that voter registration continues in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and other less strict community quarantine status, including Metro Manila.

The Comelec has extended the registration period by two hours in less strict community quarantine areas, except in MECQ areas, only until 5 p.m. including Saturdays and holidays.

Meanwhile, Comelec said registered voters who are positive for COVID-19 and in quarantine will be allowed to cast their votes in the 2022 polls.

At the same budget hearing, Abas said the Comelec will find ways to ensure that COVID-19 patients would be able to exercise their right to vote, specifically in “isolation centers” located at the polling area. – Robertzon Ramirez