The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is requesting an additional ₱191.89 million from the national Contingent Fund to cover the costs of the upcoming special congressional election in Cavite’s 4th District.
COMELEC Deputy Executive Director for Operations Rafael Olaño recommended petitioning President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the supplemental funding, warning that the poll body’s current budget cannot absorb the expense without compromising preparations for other upcoming votes.
While Republic Act 12314 allocates ₱11.19 million for the special election, COMELEC projects the total cost to conduct the vote across Dasmariñas City will reach nearly ₱191.89 million.
In a June 9 memorandum to COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia, Olaño explained that pulling funds from existing programs is unfeasible given the commission’s packed 2026 electoral calendar—a period dubbed a “Super Election Year.”
COMELEC is currently managing logistics for both the rescheduled Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections on September 14 and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on November 2.
“Any adjustment from the budget of the Comelec will adversely affect the budgetary requirements of the other pending elections, which have wider scopes than the Special Election at hand,” Olaño wrote.
To bridge the gap, Olaño suggested drawing from the ₱13-billion Contingent Fund under the 2026 General Appropriations Act and citing Section 10 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, which permits special government funding for election-related budget shortfalls.
Background on the Cavite Special Election
The special election is slated for August 29 following the House of Representatives’ expulsion of former Representative Kiko Barzaga on June 2 due to allegations of disorderly behavior and conduct unbecoming of a House member.
Five candidates have filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for the vacant seat, including:
- Jenny Barzaga (Dasmariñas Mayor and mother of the former lawmaker)
- Raul Rex Del Rosario Mangubat
- Marvin Opamin Dupal-ag
- Leysander Ordenes
- Jacinto Bautista Frani Jr.
The requested contingency funds are meant to guarantee that the August 29 vote in Dasmariñas City stays on track without jeopardizing the resources required for nationwide elections later in the year.