BACOLOD City – The city government will ask the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt the distribution of cash assistance and implementation of infrastructure projects here from the election-related ban.
Secretary-to-the-mayor Atty. Marty Go said the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), City Agriculture Office (CAO) and City Engineer’s Office (CEO) are currently preparing the lists of their respective programs that they will be applying for exemptions.
“We have to file an exemption for the programs following the imposition of the Comelec resolution that banned the disbursement of government fund for the programs of the local government unit. Among these programs is the cash aid distribution of DSSD and CAO to farmers and fisherfolk,” Go said.
In relation to the May 12, 2025 midterm elections, the Comelec has issued Resolution No. 10999 that prescribes the calendar of activities and periods of certain prohibited acts in connection with the scheduled polls.
Go said the disbursement ban for local government units will take effect on March 28, the start of the local campaign period, but the poll body has set the deadline of the filing for an exemption on February 11.
Meanwhile, Comelec-Bacolod acting election officer Revo Sorbito said the filing for exemption will be done online and it will be directly received by the Comelec Central Office./PN