00:00Comelec is considering suspending transportation, educational and cash allowances under various programs of the government before the election.
00:10Here's Louisa Erispe's report.
00:15The Commission on Elections will study if there will be aid during the election.
00:20This means that aid cannot be distributed before the election day.
00:26According to the Commission on Contrabay of Comelec, they will study programs of the government with aid such as Tupad ng Dole, ACAP and AICS program of DSWD.
00:38To equalize the playing field, we assure that at least as it approaches the election day itself, there will be no undue advantage of giving aid.
00:50ACAP, AICS and Tupad are exempt from the Comelec suspending ban.
00:56This means that this can be done even during the campaign period.
01:00Politicians are not allowed to be present during the distribution of aid.
01:04However, if the committee passes the resolution, 10 days before May 12, aid is no longer allowed,
01:12especially the assistance of educational, cash and transportation allowances.
01:18You may decide that the educational, cash and transportation will be accepted from the purview.
01:25In fact, the omnibus election code already prohibits the granting of transportation and cash the day before and on the day of the election itself.
01:35So if we expand that to 10 days, that's what we're reviewing in the Committee on Contrabay.
01:40At the time that there is a violation here, there can be disqualifications in the run-up to the punishment of the candidate.
01:47That the commission may end up disqualifying, as we did in this past term,
01:51we ended up disqualifying, there was a governor that was disqualified among others,
01:56precisely because, I mean, I think two governors, precisely because of the involvement in this kind of aid violation.
02:03Aside from the aid ban, Comelec will also impose the transfer of money using e-wallet in the election.
02:10If the amount exceeds P5,000, it will no longer be allowed.
02:14They are avoiding the hefty payment of votes using e-wallet.
02:18We recognize and acknowledge the cooperation of GCash, Paymaya, and other platforms.
02:26For a certain time during the campaign period, there will not only be a prohibition, but there will also be ceilings.
02:35Above P5,000, you will get a window that says your access is suspended.
02:42It is expected that on the first week of February, the Committee on Contrabay will issue a resolution
02:48regarding the aid ban and the use of e-wallet.
02:51Luisa Erispe for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
