Concerns over the constitutionality of using election funds for crisis response may be addressed through a “savings” mechanism, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said Monday, referring to the budget allocated for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
Lacson said funds allocated to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) cannot be realigned to other agencies, but unspent allocations may be declared as savings and returned to the National Treasury for other uses.
“Funds allocated to the Comelec cannot be realigned to items outside it because that would be unconstitutional. But the allocations can still be treated as savings,” Lacson said.
He said the Comelec may opt not to spend funds intended for the BSKE and instead declare them as savings, which could then be tapped for programs addressing the national energy emergency triggered by the Middle East conflict.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia earlier raised concerns over proposals to postpone the BSKE and use part of the roughly PHP16 billion in unspent funds for crisis response, citing constitutional limits on fund realignment.
Garcia, however, later agreed with Lacson’s explanation, saying unused funds may be returned as savings and made available for other government priorities.
“Yes po, ‘yun talaga ang tama… kapag ito ay hindi nagamit, savings na po ‘yan and therefore maibalik po ‘yan sa ating treasury (Yes, that is correct… if the funds are not used, they become savings and can be returned to the Treasury),” Garcia said.
Of the nearly PHP19 billion allocated for the BSKE under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, around PHP3 billion has been spent for preparations, according to the Comelec chief.
The BSKE, originally scheduled for Dec. 1, 2025, has been moved to Nov. 2 this year, with some lawmakers pushing for another postponement due to the ongoing fuel crisis.
Lacson said the savings mechanism provides a constitutional path for government to redirect unused election funds without violating budgetary rules. (PNA)