Comelec eyes P6 billion budget cut for 2028 polls

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June 3, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections is willing to trim around P6 billion from its proposed P25-billion budget for preparations for the 2028 general elections, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said yesterday.

Garcia said the poll body decided to remove proposed features, including voter verification technology and blockchain systems, in response to recommendations from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to cut the Comelec’s funding proposal.

“We presented to the DBM a proposal amounting to P25 billion,” Garcia said. “But during our discussions with DBM representatives, we were advised that the budget could be reduced. We were able to look at where we can trim around P6 billion.”

Garcia clarified that the proposed P25-billion funding covers only election preparations for 2027 and is separate from the Comelec’s regular annual budget of around P6 billion.

Among the features set aside is the proposed voter verification system, which would have allowed voters to verify their identity through biometrics such as fingerprints, facial recognition and iris scans before casting their ballots.

Garcia said the system, estimated to cost about P2 billion, was deemed nonessential as the elections could still proceed without it.

“We removed the ballot verification system and blockchain components because, in our assessment, elections can still be conducted without such feature of the machines,” Garcia explained.

“If it can be improved or reinstated in the future, that would be preferable,” he added. “However, this is not the appropriate time to do so. We need to reduce the budget to reallocate the proposed savings to other government agencies.”

Garcia also raised concerns over possible data privacy risks linked to the technology.

Despite the proposed budget cut, Garcia said preparations for the 2028 elections remain on track.

He said procurement for the automated counting machines may start by August or September, with awarding targeted by early 2027 to give suppliers enough time to manufacture the equipment before delivery.

The Comelec chief also dismissed speculations about a possible “no-election” scenario in 2028 amid discussions on constitutional amendments.