The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking to start the public bidding process for the construction of its own building in Pasay City this month. Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said their dream having their own main office will soon be realized after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated an PHP8.3 billion budget for the measure. He noted the preparations for the start of the construction include the pre-procurement conferences, invitations, publications/postings, pre-bid conferences, among others. "Hopefully, the proceedings attendant to the public bidding should start within the month," the poll body official said in statement. Based on the Multi-Year Contractual Authority (MYCA) issued by the DBM, which he released to the media on Thursday, the poll body will be getting a total of PHP8,391,952,800 budget for three years, starting this year until 2025. "The issuance of MYCA was based on the commitment of the Comelec that the annual budgetary requirements of the project shall be within the agency's ceiling," it added. For this year, the poll body will be given PHP1,248,886,865.00; a total of PHP3,713,098,814.00 next year; and PHP3,429,967,121.00 for 2025. The Comelec earlier purchased a three-hectare property located at the Central Business Park I - Island 'A' in Pasay City. The poll body is currently occupying three floors of the Palacio del Gobernador building in Intramuros, Manila, as its main office.
Source: Philippines News Agency