By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The Iloilo City government has formally appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt its social welfare programs and infrastructure projects from the election spending ban for the 2025 midterm elections.
Mayor Jerry Treñas submitted a petition on Feb. 6, seeking a certificate of exemption for social programs valued at over PHP152 million and infrastructure projects worth more than PHP3 billion.
The request covers 16 social welfare programs and 190 infrastructure projects to ensure they remain unaffected by election spending restrictions from March 28 to May 11, 2025.
Among the social programs are:
Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) – PHP20 million
Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) – PHP30 million
Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong sa Pag-unlad ng Pamilyang Pilipino (TUPAD) program – PHP50 million
Other initiatives include the local pension for senior citizens, the USWAG Negosyo program for public market enhancement, a special employment program for students, centenarian citizen welfare, and various financial and non-financial assistance programs.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure projects cover roads, drainage systems, public markets, multi-purpose buildings, and education-related facilities.
Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code prohibits the release, disbursement, or expenditure of public funds for social and infrastructure projects 45 days before a regular election to prevent their use as political tools.
However, Comelec may grant exemptions for essential projects, including ongoing public works started before the campaign period, emergency projects due to calamities, and necessary social programs.
Treñas’ petition was backed by the Iloilo City Council, which passed two separate resolutions on Feb. 5 authorizing him to seek the Comelec exemption.
