P13 B allotted for 2016 polls

MANILA, Philippines - The government has allotted a total of P12.954 billion for the automated national and local elections on May 9, 2016 and the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls in October next year.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad bared the amount during the briefing yesterday of the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) during the first day of hearings of the House committee on appropriations on the proposed P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016.

Abad told the appropriations panel, chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, that the government has allotted P6.26 billion for the national and local elections and an additional P6.69 billion for the SK and barangay polls.

He said the P6.26 billion would only be for the holding of the national and local polls, since P12.6 billion had already been allotted this year for the acquisition of additional voting machines and P1.2 billion for other expenses in preparation for the polls.

Of the P6.69-billion budget for the SK and barangay elections next year, P507 million will be used for SK registration, P5.9 billion for the holding of elections and P193 million for the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) so Filipinos abroad can vote for the country’s national officials.

This amount will be augmented by the P936-million allotment this year for the SK polls and P10 million for the OAV, Abad said.

He said the conduct of orderly and clean elections is among the good governance and anti-corruption thrusts of the Aquino administration for next year.

The others are improved state of governance, corruption deterrence services through the investigation services and enforcement of decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman, resolution of graft and corruption cases by the Sandiganbayan, public financial management reform and strengthening of public audit, business and trade regulation services, corporate and capital market regulation services, diplomatic and consular services, public sector financial resources management services, tax collection services and collection of duties and taxes.