Manila, Aug. 11 -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will ask Congress for an additional PHP4 billion budget in the event the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) is reset to next year.

According to Comelec Chairperson George Garcia, the additional appropriation is for new voters numbering almost 2.8 million, who applied as registrants in the just concluded 10-day voter registration period in connection with the BSKE.

"Everything that has been funded is automatically budgeted when BSKE is reset. However, there is a high possibility that if BSKE is reset, we will ask for additional budget. We did not include it in the 2026 GAA (General Appropriations Act) proposal because there is no announcement and law yet," he said...