The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said expenses for the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) may increase by up to 25 percent due to rising fuel prices.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said logistics and supply costs are expected to surge, as ballot machines and batteries are transported by sea, where fuel costs are higher than in Metro Manila.
Garcia said the poll body is still monitoring the extent of the increase, noting that all election equipment must be deployed by August ahead of the September polls.
He estimated at least a 20-percent rise in logistics expenses and around 20 to 25 percent for supplies, warning that the agency’s current budget may not be sufficient if projections hold.
Comelec plans to print ballots from June to July.
The BARMM polls have been postponed multiple times, most recently in January, due to legal and operational constraints, including delays in the region’s redistricting law.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Comelec: Expenses for BARMM polls may rise by 25% over oil price hikes”
