MANILA, Philippines — The Dasmariñas government in Cavite has donated P50 million to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the conduct of special polls in the city’s lone legislative district.
The Comelec will hold the special elections on August 29 after the House of Representatives expelled former lawmaker Kiko Barzaga on June 2 for his “disorderly” and “disruptive behavior.”
Dasmariñas City Acting Mayor Elpidio Barzaga III, brother of the former Representative Barzaga, turned over the financial assistance to the Comelec on Thursday at Dasmariñas City Hall.
READ: Comelec sets special polls in Barzaga’s district in Cavite Aug. 29
According to Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, the poll body will determine how the donated funds will be used.
“The P50 million will be a big help in reducing our expenses. If you ask where we will use the funds, it will be for the teachers,” Garcia said in Filipino in a press conference.
“We will ensure that the teachers will receive the same honoraria they received in the 2025 national and local elections, even if we have an insufficient budget for the elections,” he added.
Garcia assured the teachers who will serve as electoral board members that they will receive their honoraria on election day itself when they return the election paraphernalia.
He also shared that the Comelec made some adjustments to stretch its funds for the elections, as it originally needed a budget of P198 million given that the district has more than 447,000 registered voters.
READ: 5 aspirants vying for vacant Dasmariñas, Cavite House seat
He said the poll body instructed its deputy executive director for operations to utilize its existing resources to reduce expenses, such as indelible ink and other election paraphernalia. He added that they had to ensure the quality of the materials would not be compromised for the elections.
The candidates for congressman in the special elections are incumbent Dasmariñas City Mayor Jennifer Austria Barzaga, mother of former Representative Barzaga; former Vice Mayor Raul Rex Del Rosario; Marvin Opamin Dupal-ag; Leysander Aguilar; and Jacinto Bautista Frani Jr. /mcm
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