P200M SPEND ON USELESS BALLOTS

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has spent some P200 million out of the P6 billion budget in the thwarted barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, which was supposed to be held next month.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez reported that the amount has been allocated in the initial printing of the official ballots, among others.

“The Comelec has spent approximately P200 million out of the P6 billion allocation before stopping their preparations for the supposed October 2016 elections,” he said.

Stoppage

However, the printing was stopped last Aug. 26, several days after the printing process had started.

It can be recalled that the Na- tional Printing Office (NPO) has printed 411,000 ballots until the poll body ordered its suspension in anticipation of the postponement of the Oct. 31 elections.

On the other hand, Jimenez said that the remaining budget will be used in the village and youth polls next year.

“We still have enough funds for the 2017 elections from our continuing appropriations. We can still use our 2016 budget,” he explained.

Last week, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed on final reading their respective versions of the bill rescheduling the elections.

The proposed measure has yet to be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, who also expressed support to the postponement of the said polls.