Garcia wants Comelec to be given early funds for 2028 elections

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia. (File photo screengrabbed from Comelec)

MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia has  recommended the earlier provision of funding to prepare for the 2028 elections.

According to Garcia, he proposed the plan to the Commission en banc.

“Tatawagin namin yang research and development year, yung 2026,” he said.

(We will call 2026 our research and development year.)

He is awaiting the concurrence of his fellow commissioners.

Garcia made the statements during his guesting at the Kapihan sa Makati forum on Thursday.

He said when his proposal gets approved, the poll body will have more time to prepare for the elections starting in 2026.

“Yung 2027, tawagin natin yang preliminary and preparatory for national and local elections,” he noted.

(We will call 2027 our preliminary and preparatory for national and local elections.)

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Garcia explained that the formulation of contracts or terms of reference for machine and other election-related equipment and procurement can be done in 2026.

The delivery of the materials can be done in 2027, he added.

He said the poll body is usually given a budget a year just before the elections so the commission has limited time to squeeze in all of the activities before the polls.

He then called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Congress to grant the same request to give Comelec adequate time to prepare for the 2028 elections.

“Pagmamakaawa namin sa DBM at sa Congress na payagan kami,” he said.

(We are begging DBM and Congress to allow us to do this.)

“Tutal, yung ibibigay mong budget for 2027, hatiin na lang para sa ‘26 at ‘28 para mas maluwag ang paghahanda ng Comelec,” he pointed out.

(Anyway, the budget that will be given for 2027, just divide it for 2026 and 2027 so that the Comelec will have a wider space in the preparations.)

READ: P2.5 billion needed if BARMM parliamentary elections delayed – Comelec

Garcia recently said the DBM approved a P2.7 billion budget request for the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary elections.

The parliamentary polls were originally scheduled on May 12, 2025 but this activity was postponed to October 13, 2025.