COMELEC HAS ALREADY SPENT MONEY AND STARTED PREPARING FOR NOVEMBER
Comelec reported in April that it had already spent about ₱3 billion of the ₱19-billion budget for the 2026 Barangay and SK elections. The commission has issued its calendar, processed voter registration, arranged precinct clustering, and conducted procurement for election forms, envelopes, ballot boxes, seals, and other supplies.
Not every peso already spent would automatically be lost if the election moves. Some equipment and records may still be usable in 2028. Registration work also updates the voter list for future elections. Materials printed with dates, precinct information, quantities, or specifications for the 2026 vote may need to be changed, stored, replaced, or bought again.
Delay can create additional costs even when supplies are reusable. Warehousing, security, maintenance, contract changes, new registration periods, updated voter lists, and the replacement of damaged or outdated materials all require money. Inflation may also make later purchases more expensive.
Comelec has said it prefers to hold the Barangay and SK elections in 2026 so it has enough time to prepare for the May 2028 national and local elections. Under Escudero's proposal, the two elections would not happen on the same day. They would, however, fall about six months apart, leaving the commission to move from one nationwide election directly into another.
For taxpayers, any possible saving from cancelling a 2026 vote is only one part of the calculation. Congress also needs a public accounting of money already obligated or spent, supplies that can still be used, additional costs caused by delay, and the effect on the 2028 national election budget.
WHAT TO WATCH
Watch for an updated Comelec accounting before Congress votes. It should separate money already spent, binding contracts, reusable materials, cancellation costs, storage expenses, and the amount that a 2028 Barangay and SK election would require.
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