Manila: 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 explained that 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.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lacson stated that although Comelec funds cannot be directly redirected to other purposes, they can still be treated as savings. He suggested that the Comelec may choose not to spend the funds intended for the BSKE, thereby declaring them as savings, which could then be utilized for programs addressing the national energy emergency triggered by the Middle East conflict.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia had previously expressed 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. However, Garcia later agreed with Lacson's explanation, acknowledging that unused funds could 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 stated.
Of the nearly PHP19 billion allocated for the BSKE under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, around PHP3 billion has been spent on 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 emphasized that the savings mechanism provides a constitutional path for the government to redirect unused election funds without violating budgetary rules.
