Comelec: Gov’t has no budget for Cha-cha

Photo: Facebook Page of Sixto Brillantes

MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said yesterday that they have no budget for any Charter change (Cha-cha)-related activities in 2015.

Brillantes added that House of Representatives appropriations committee chairman Isidro Ungab, of Davao City, has already proposed a P7.

1 billion budget for Cha-cha next year.

According to Brillantes, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) however has rejected the proposal.

“But the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) did not approve it. It seems Malacañang is not interested in Charter change,” he said.

He also added holding a plebiscite for the ratification of possible changes that will be created by Cha-cha requires a huge amount.

This was already anticipated by the Congress, according to the Comelec chair.

He also revealed that the DBM also disapproved the P679.1 million budget sought by the lawmakers for the conduct of a plebiscite that will ratify the proposed Bangsamoro basic law.