The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has exempted several programs of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) from a spending ban for the May 2025 midterm elections.
In a resolution signed by Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, the poll chief approved the recommendation of the poll body’s law department on the request of DOLE to exempt the following programs from Sections 261 (v) (2) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).
The exemption was necessary because the Omnibus Election Code (Batas Pambansa Bilang 881) bans the release, disbursement, or expenditure and the construction and delivery of materials for public works starting March 28, 2025, or 45 days before Election Day.
The programs are: Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) — P828.9 million, Government lnternship Program (GIP) — P807.7 million, JobStart Philippines Program (JSP) — P155 million, Adjustment Measures Program (AMP) — P218.7 million, Workers Organization Development Program (WODP) — P35.87 million, DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Program (DILEEP) — P2.24 million, Financial Assistance Program to Distressed Migratory Sugarcane Workers (MSWs) — P1,960,000, Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) — P85.26 million, and EnTSUPERneur Program — P100 million.
Earlier, the Comelec has exempted 48 infrastructure projects of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center from the ban on public works during next year’s election period.
