EVEN government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic will be covered by the Commission on Elections’ prohibition for public works in relation to the 2022 polls.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena V. Guanzon made the reminder amid the looming deadline for the filing of exemptions from the said prohibition.
“Governors and Mayors, national agency heads can file for Comelec exemption from ban on project implementation and cash disbursements due to the pandemic,” Guanzon said in a post in her Twitter account.
Under Comelec rules, public officials or employees, including barangay officials and those of government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCC) and their subsidiaries, cannot release, disburse or expend public funds for any and all kinds of public works during the period of 45 days prior to a regular election and 30 days before a special election.
However, the restriction will not cover maintenance of existing and/or completed public works projects, public works projects undertaken by contract through public bidding or by negotiated contract awarded, and payment of the usual cost of preparation of public works project and all incidental expenses for wages of watchmen and other laborers employed for such work.
Also not covered by the ban are emergency work necessitated by the occurrence of a public calamity limited to the restoration of the damaged facility, ongoing public works projects commenced before the campaign period under foreign agreements or by the administration.
In the case of the 2022 elections, the ban for public works will take effect from March 25, 2022 to May 8, 2022.
Comelec noted that the heads of concerned government offices including GOCC, government financing institutions and state universities and colleges must apply to be covered by the said exemption.
Instructions for the filing for a certificate of exception may be accessed at Comelec’s website at https://comelec.gov.ph/?r=2022NLE/PublicWorks.
The violation of prohibition of public works is considered an election offense, which may be sanctioned with imprisonment.