House OKs Comelec’s P8.4-B budget

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) proposed P8.4 billion budget for next year breezed through deliberations at the House of Representatives Wednesday.

“We were anticipating some problems but it did not happen,” said Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. in a chance interview with reporters on Wednesday.

Asked what his worries were, the Comelec chief said “we heard many issues about the party-lists and the early filing of certificates of candidacy. But I think we’re now OK, we have the money–budget for the 2013 elections.”

He added that Comelec is already ahead in the poll preparations compared to the one in the 2010 elections. Karen Boncocan