THE special elections in Batanes will cost the government some P8.7 million, estimates prepared by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) indicate.
At the same time, the poll body is also looking at the possibility of ‘borrowing election supplies that have already been delivered for the Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE) if the polls do not proceed as scheduled.
‘What is also good about this is that if the Barangay and SK Elections do not push through, supplies have already been delivered to us, such as indelible ink, ballpens and thumbprint tape,’ Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said.
‘We can borrow those first. We can use them here in [the] Batanes [special elections]. If the Comelec’s budget is insufficient, we can borrow these so that we have something to use,’ he added.
Such an arrangement would leave the Comelec with major expenses including the honoraria of teachers, mobilization of election personnel, and the printing of ballots and other election paraphernalia.
The proposed date for the Batanes special elections is December 19, 2026, although the schedule remains subject to approval by the Comelec en banc.
‘The proposal on when to hold the special election in the Lone Congressional District of Batanes will be elevated to the Comelec en banc by next week,’ Garcia said.
The initial date falls on a Saturday, which Comelec is considering as a way to allow more voters to participate despite the absence of regular work or school schedules.
‘December 19 is a Saturday. And although there is no work on that day, at least there is a chance that all of the voters can cast their votes,’ the poll body chief said.
As of June 1, the province has 13,138 registered voters who will be eligible to vote in the special election.
The special election will be conducted to fill the congressional seat that was vacated by the death of Rep. Ciriaco Gato on September 21.