Senator Koko Pimentel advised the Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials not to insist the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023 to be automated during the national budget deliberation in the Senate.
In a report by RH 28 Raymund Dadpaas, Pimentel told the Comelec not to push through with the automated election if it is not mandated by the law, adding that it is too expensive to make.
The House of Representatives approved the resolution which requesting for the 2023 BSKE to be automated.
In the presentation of the Comelec’s budget for next year, Comelec Chairman George Garcia requested to return the P5.7 billion that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) cut from their budget as they will use it to gear up for two elections in the year 2025: the midterm elections from senators to municipal officials in May, and BSKE will follow in December of 2025.
As such, the winning officials for this year’s BSKE will only serve for two years.
Garcia then admitted that the Comelec also wanted the automated BSKE to begin in 2025 but failed to do it due to a lack of funds.
