The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday reduced its budget for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls from P10 billion to P2.7 billion.

“We were able to reduce the amount that we’ll be needing for the barangay and SK election. We will be needing an additional P2.765 billion instead of the original P10 billion that we proposed,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia told the Senate finance subcommittee.

“However, we will have to stick to the previous honoraria being received by our electoral board members. P6,000, P5,000, P4,000 plus P1,000 transportation allowance,” he added.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III then asked if there were still 200 voters per precinct or if the Comelec changed the number through a resolution.

Garcia said that three precincts have been clustered into one to save more money.

“Well, for purposes of the supposed December 5, 2022 elections, 400 voters per precinct. But in order for us to save money and ask only for this amount of P2.7 billion, it will be 600 voters per precinct. For the automated National and Local Elections, one clustered precinct, the average was 800 voters per precinct,” he said.

Garcia said the voting duration of the barangay and SK polls for next year will be shortened and will be held from 7 am to 3 pm.

The P5.2 billion budget was approved by the Senate on the committee level on the same day.

Senator Imee Marcos, who presided over the subcommittee, made a motion to recommend the poll body’s budget to the plenary and Senator Jinggoy Estrada seconded the motion.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr last week signed into law a measure that would postpone the barangay and SK elections from December 5, 2022 to October 2023. Jaspearl Tan/DMS