The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that nine programs under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be exempt from the election ban. This decision was made public on Monday, following a request from DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma to continue the implementation of these social services during the election period. The exemption was granted after the Comelec’s Law Department reviewed and approved the request, citing compliance with the necessary regulations outlined in Resolution No. 11060.
Among the programs exempted are the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), which offers emergency employment to disadvantaged workers for community work lasting between 10 to 30 days, particularly during disasters. Other programs include the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), Government Internship Program (GIP), JobStart Philippines Program (JSP), Adjustment Measures Program (AMP), Workers Organization Development Program (WODP), DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP), Financial Assistance Program to Distressed Migratory Sugarcane Workers (MSW), Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP), and the EnTSUPERneur Program.
The exemption process requires agencies to submit detailed project lists, the name of the requesting agency, and the credentials of the authorized requester. This comes in the context of the Omnibus Election Code, which typically prohibits the use of public funds for expenditures within 45 days before a regular election. Additionally, Comelec Resolution No. 11060 specifically bans the use of public funds for social welfare projects from March 28 to May 11, 2025.