Classrooms on hold? Iloilo City waits on Comelec exemption

ILOILO CITY — The Iloilo City government has waited almost a month for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt 163 infrastructure projects and 40 social services and welfare programs from the election spending ban.

The ban prohibits the release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds in connection with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

The City Council authorized Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu on July 29 to make the request.

Treñas-Chu said on Monday, Sept. 21, that the city’s application has been pending before the Law Department of the Comelec central office since August.

The ban took effect on Friday, Sept. 18, with the city’s application still unresolved.

The infrastructure projects covered by the application include road network projects in barangays, as well as ongoing construction of barangay and school gyms, plazas, esplanades, and school buildings.

Treñas-Chu said the city is seeking exemptions particularly for projects that need to proceed without delay, including the construction of school facilities.

“Most of the projects for which we requested exemptions are the construction of school buildings. We have many school buildings being built, and it is difficult to design and implement these projects. That is why we requested exemptions,” she said.

“School buildings cannot wait, which is why I prioritized them in our exemption request. Any delay would mean losing valuable time because we already have a shortage of classrooms in Iloilo City,” Treñas-Chu added.

The city also sought an exemption for 40 social services and welfare programs, including financial and medical assistance under the ATIPAN and HAPLOS programs.

The city said more than PHP 303.79 million in social services and welfare funds are covered by its request.

Treñas-Chu said the ban could delay the delivery of assistance to residents, particularly those seeking medical and financial aid.

Some programs, however, were implemented before the prohibition took effect, including the Bigay Bigas sa Masa program, the social pension for senior citizens, and the KAYA Emergency Employment Program.

The Iloilo City government launched the Bigay Bigas sa Masa program on June 29, with 41,958 households from various sectors across the city identified as beneficiaries.

The city received PHP 72 million in national government funding for the rice assistance program, with each beneficiary household set to receive 10 kilograms of rice in each of three tranches.

The KAYA Program is a locally funded initiative of the city government that provides temporary income support and employment to residents affected by economic challenges and high fuel costs.

Comelec Resolution No. 11191, dated Jan. 28, 2026, sets Sept. 18 to Nov. 1, 2026, as the period during which the release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds and the construction of public works are prohibited in connection with the Nov. 2 BSKE.

The resolution cites Section 261(v) and (w) of the Omnibus Election Code as the legal basis for the prohibitions on public funds and public works during the specified period.

The same resolution sets the filing of certificates of candidacy from Sept. 28 to Oct. 5.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia has said government agencies cannot implement social services and public works projects during the period without an exemption from the poll body.

The election-related restrictions are intended to prevent the use of government resources for activities that could influence the electoral process.

Comelec may consider requests for exemptions under applicable rules and procedures.