INSTEAD of having to appeal for additional honoraria before every electoral exercise, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday sought the provision of an automatic increase in the pay of those serving as members of the Electoral Boards (EBs).
“We have a proposal for legislation, wherein there is an automatic increase in honoraria on a per-election basis, instead of having to appeal for additional pay every time,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in a media forum in Manila.
“Every election, the costs also go up. Therefore, there should also be an automatic increase in the honoraria,” he added.
The poll chief cited as an example the recently held national and local polls, wherein an additional P3,000 was granted to each of the EB members.
He said such a scenario won’t be the same in the coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, as the amount will be less than the additional P3,000. – Gerard Naval
“Whatever additional honoraria that were given for the national and local polls, they will be gone in the barangay and SK elections,” said Garcia.
“The across-the-board increase will be gone because we don’t have a budget for it this time. We may have to ask the President for funding again,” he added.
During the May 2025 polls, the EB chairperson, members, and support staff were given honoraria ranging from P11,000 to P12,000.
After Election Day, however, the Comelec asked, and was granted funding for P1,000 additional compensation for EB members and chairpersons.
