MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday welcomed the Senate Finance Subcommittee A’s approval of its PHP11.8-billion budget, even as it highlighted the need for additional resources to meet the demands of the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had trimmed the agency’s original PHP18.07-billion proposal by PHP6.22 billion, leaving only PHP9.5 billion available for preparations.

“The budget we proposed was reduced by more or less 6 billion pesos… so only PHP9.5 billion will remain available to us,” Garcia said, noting that the shortfall comes amid a surge in voter registration.

A 10-day registration drive recently added 2.8 million voters. With registration set to continue until July 2026, the electorate is projected to grow by another 1.4 million, bringing the total to about 99 million.

Garcia said the increase in voters will require the creation of 10,000 additional precincts and the hiring of 30,000 more electoral board members, in addition to costs for training, logistics, and ballot printing.

Despite the funding gap, the panel chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian endorsed the Comelec budget for plenary consideration.

Senator Raffy Tulfo also backed the agency’s appeal for more resources, emphasizing that poll workers—particularly teachers—must be adequately compensated and that elections should not be compromised due to lack of funding.

The Comelec said its total requirement for the 2026 BSKE is PHP15.9 billion, covering honoraria for nearly one million teachers and other election personnel.