By Ferdinand Patinio/PNA
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said it will be evaluating the request of government agencies to exempt infrastructure projects under the “Build, Build, Build” program from the construction ban.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said they already received the proposal from the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Department of Finance.
“Our Law Department is still evaluating it… If I am not mistaken, it is not going to take long,” he said in an interview.
Jimenez said exemptions have been granted to undertakings related to humanitarian activities or in cases of extreme exigency.
“We will be taking into consideration what the law wants to prevent, which is to prevent projects being undertaken for political gain. That will be the standard we will be using,” he said.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10429, the construction ban for the May 2019 mid-term polls will be from March 29 to May 12.
Earlier, DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno said he is optimistic that the poll body will grant their request to exempt infrastructure undertakings under the “Build, Build, Build” program from the ban.
