Comelec expenses for BARMM polls may increase by 25% due to surging oil prices

The expenses of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) may increase by up to 25% due to rising fuel prices.

Speaking to Super Radyo dzBB, Comelec chairperson George Garcia explained expenses would increase since ballot machines and their batteries are transported by sea, as fuel is more expensive outside Metro Manila.

“Mino-monitor pa natin kung mga magkano pa kaya ang itataas. Sa Agosto, dapat deployed lahat ng kagamitan na gagamitin sa Setyembre,” Garcia said.

(We are monitoring the increases. By August, we should have deployed all the equipment for the BARMM elections in September.)

“Sa aking palagay, baka magkaroon ng increase kahit ng 20% man lang sa logistics at sa ating supply, baka mga 20%to  25% ang itataas. Pag ganyan, kulang pa ang budget ni Comelec,” he added.

(I think there would be an increase of at least 20% in logistics and possibly around 20% to 25% in the supplies. If that happens, the Comelec’s budget is insufficient.)

He added Comelec also plans to print the ballots from June to July.

Both the Senate and House of Representatives approved the bill moving the date of the BARMM elections on third and final reading.

Voting 21-0-0, senators passed Senate Bill No. 1823 on third and final reading on March 2, days after it was approved on second reading on February 25.

Meanwhile, House lawmakers voted 247-0-2 during a plenary session on March 10 to approve House Bill 8220 on third and final reading.

Last January, Comelec postponed the first-ever Bangsamoro elections for the fourth time, citing “legal and operational” constraints after the passage of the BARMM redistricting law was delayed.

In October 2025, the Supreme Court ordered the postponement of the Bangsamoro elections originally set for October 13 and reallocated Sulu’s 32 parliamentary seats to other BARMM provinces.

The redistricting law was enacted after the High Court ruled in 2024 that Sulu is not a part of the BARMM.

In a resolution issued Wednesday, the Comelec en banc extended the filing period for the registration and accreditation of regional political parties and parliamentary sectoral organizations seeking seats in the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.

It approved moving the deadline for filing petitions for registration and accreditation to April 6, 2026 due to the observance of Eid al-Fitr and Holy Week.

The Comelec initially set the filing period for the registration and accreditation from March 17 to March 20.

According to an industry source, the estimated adjustments in fuel prices per liter for next week are the following:

• Diesel - P16.50 to P17.50 per liter
• Gasoline - P7.50 to P8.50 per liter

The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier announced the following fuel price adjustments for the week of March 17 to March 23:

• Diesel - P20.40 to P23.90 per liter
• Gasoline - P12.90 to P16.60 per liter
• Kerosene - P6.90 to P8.90 per liter

—RF, GMA Integrated News