.. 
Ni Estong Reyes
DAPAT nang gamitin ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) sa ibang pangangailangan ang P12 bilyong pondong isiningit ng Kongreso para sa gagawin sanang plebisito pagkatapos ng peoples’ initiative, ayon kay Senador Chiz Escudero.
Sa ginanap na imbestigasyon ng Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, ibinulgar niEscudero na pawang last-minute addition ang naturang pondo sa 2024 General Appropriations Act—na pawang kinumpirma ni Comelec Chairman George Garcia sa proceeding.
“It was neither in the President’s proposed budget nor in the Comelec’s original submission,” ayon kay Escudero saka idinagdag na”the fund was put there waiting for the about to be launched people’s initiative (PI) to succeed, “the budgetary version of putting the cart before the horse.”
“But now that the horse is dead; there is no more use for the cart. Ang importante dapat ‘no touch’ na ‘yang pondo na ‘yan. Kasi kung nandiyan pa ‘yan, baka bumangon pa sa libingan itong pekeng initiative,” giit ni Escudero.
Dahil dito, iminungkahi ni Escudero sa Comelec na muling bisitahin ang badyet sa ilalim ng line item “Conduct and supervision of elections, referenda, recall votes and plebiscites.”
Ayon kay Escudeo, umabot lamang sa P2.229 bilyon ang orihinal na pondo sa naturang line item na nakatakda sa 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP), pero itinaas ito sa halagang P12 billion kaya nagkaroon ng P14,229,617,000.
“Now that the President has taken a position against the people’s initiative, and you (Comelec) are reviewing your rules, this is also an opportune time to revisit the P14 billion in your budget, realign it for the purpose of what you really need for example on capital outlays and personnel services such as the creation of positions which is well within your power to do so,” ayon kay Escudero kay Garcia.
Kinumpirma ni Garcia ang pahayag ni Escudero sa pagsasabing kanilang rerebyuhin ang budget ng ahensiya at magbibigay ng kopya sa realigned appropriation sa komite.
Tiniyak din ng hepe ng poll body bago suspendihin ng en banc ang Comelec Resolution No. 10650 na sumasakop sa people’s initiative, layunin nilang gawin ang realignment sa naturang badyet.
“We already had in our minds the items by which this P14 billion to be spent and definitely, all of these items that this representation is willing to submit to this committee, do not pertain to any people’s initiatives or any plebiscite,” ayon kay Garcia.
Binanggit din ni Escudero na orihinal na nagsumite ang Comelec ng P44.7 bilyong badyet para sa 2024 sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM), pero umabot lamang sa P27.1 billion ang inirekomenda ng ahensiya na isinumite sa Kongreso.
“’Yung sa personnel services, short by P1.2 billion, per Comelec’s computation,” ayon kay Escudero.
Sa nakaraang budget deliberations sa Mababang Kapulungan at Senado, hiniling poll body na panatlihin ang mahigit P6 bilyon na kailangan ng ahensiya.
“Kasama dito ang pag-pilot ng internet voting for OFWs, and for activities that will modernize elections and make them transparent and promote ease of voting and quick counting,“ giit ni Escudero.
“The agency’s budget eventually rose from the Malacanang-proposed P27.1 billion to the P40.1-billion in the Marcos-signed General Appropriations Act “but for the wrong reasons,” ayon pa kay Escudero.
Dahil inaasahan ang PI, ipinilit ng Mababang Kapulungan sa bicameral conference ang pagdagdag ng P12 billion sa original P2.2 billion funds “for supervision of elections, referenda, recall votes and plebiscites.”
“That P12 billion should now be repurposed and put beyond the reach of PI,” giit ni Escudero
“’Yung P2.2 billion for referendum kasya na ‘yun for activities that will be held within 2024. Historically, hindi naman ganun kalaki ang ginagasta sa kakaunting plebisito para sa pagtatatag ng mga bagong munisipyo o mga cities, “ ani pa Escudero.
