THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reduced its budget for the special elections in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, to P128 million from an initial P191 million.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the budget was brought down by about P63 million through measures aimed at reducing election expenses.
The cuts did not include the allowance of teachers serving in the polls, which the Comelec kept at an additional P2,000 across the board.
‘We did not compromise what the teachers will receive,’ Garcia said.
The additional amount will also cover DepEd Supervisors Officially Designated (Deso) personnel and support staff, according to Garcia.
Comelec instead reduced spending on other election requirements, including supplies, food and the mobilization of personnel.
Some election materials were recycled to further bring down costs and indelible ink were sourced from nearby towns and provinces instead of procuring new supplies for the election.
The local government of Dasmariñas City turned over P50 million to the poll body for the elections as its contribution for the electoral exercise.
Garcia said the commission would prioritize essential election requirements while finding ways to save on items that could be reused or sourced more cheaply.
He said the commission had to make these adjustments because of the limited funds available for the election, as it also prepares for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and the national and local elections.