The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted exemptions to 48 infrastructure projects from the spending restrictions linked to the 2025 national and local elections (NLE).
These projects have been issued certificates of exemption, meaning they are not subject to Section 261 (v) (1) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), which typically prohibits certain disbursements and expenditures of public funds close to an election. The exempted initiatives include:
- NCR EDSA Busway Project
- UP Philippine General Hospital Manila Cancer Center Project
- UP Philippine General Hospital Diliman Project
- University of the Philippines Los-Baños Agro-Industrial Information Technology Parks Project
- San Juan-Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program
- Manila Central Post Office Project
- Rizal Park Western Section Development Project
- Mt. Data Hotel Project
- Aquilino Pimentel International Convention Center
- Metro Manila Subway Project
- Metro Rail Transit Line 3 O&M
- North-South Commuter Railway Operations and Maintenance Private Partnership Project
- Philippine Automatic Fare Collection System
- Operations and Maintenance of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit Project
- Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake Ferry Project
- Rehabilitation-Expansion-Operation-Maintenance of the Iloilo International Airport
- Upgrade, expansion, operation, and maintenance of the Kalibo International Airport Project
- Baguio City Integrated Terminal Project
- Redevelopment of the Baguio City Public Market
- Smart Urban Mobility Project
- Development and improvement of ASIN Hydropower Plants
- Dialysis center PPP Project for the renal center facility of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
- Cagayan Valley Medical Center Hemodialysis Center
- National Food Hub Project
- Entertainment and Events Hub Package 2: Multi-modal mobility terminal
- Central Luzon Link Expressway Phase II
- Boracay Bridge Project
- Operations and Maintenance of Pampanga Dialysis Centers Project
- Pampanga Bulk Water Supply Project
- Operation and maintenance of Palayan City Hospital
- Digitized traffic system
- Cavite bus rapid transit system
- Biñan City digitalized traffic enforcement
- Unsolicited build-operate-transfer proposal for the long-term water resource development for Metro Manila Project
- Digitalized traffic enforcement for Bacoor City
- Negros Occidental bulk water supply project
- Bacolod Super City Project
- Uswag condominium complex project
- Uswag residential building project
- High-capacity bus system in Iloilo City
- Establishment of hemodialysis centers in Iloilo provincial and district hospitals
- San Ramon Newport Project
- Redevelopment of General Santos City Public Market project
- Bislig City septage project
- National single window through an integrated trade facility platform
- Comprehensive digital housing platform project
- Special products automated revenue collection system project
- PRA digitalization project
Comelec emphasized that these exemptions do not excuse compliance with Commission on Audit Circular No. 2013-004 and warned that tampering with the certificate would void its validity and result in legal consequences.
As outlined in the Omnibus Election Code, Section 261 (v) (1) restricts the use of public funds for public works during the 45 days before a regular election and the 30 days before a special election, except for:
• Maintenance of existing or completed public works.
• Projects contracted through public bidding.
• Emergency work addressing urgent needs.
This move by Comelec ensures that important infrastructure projects can continue without violating election laws, while also safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
