Speaker Prospero Nograles yesterday said the full automation of the 2010 national and local elections will push through as the House of Representatives prepare to fast-track the approval of the P11.30-billion supplemental budget under House Bill 5715, a press release from his office said.

Appropriations committee chairman Junie Cua has filed the supplemental budget under House Bill 5715 allotting the needed funds for the acquisition of equipment and for preparatory activities of the Commission on Elections for the automated 2010 polls, Nograles said.

He said instructed Cua and Majority Leader Arthur Defensor to prioritize the supplemental automation measure which is expected to be certified as urgent by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the press release added.

No public funds can ever be spent without appropriations originating from the House of Representatives, Nograles said.

Earlier, Presidential adviser for political affairs, Gabriel Claudio, said the funds will be released by the Department of Budget and Management when the funding bill is enacted into law, the press release said.

Of the P11.3-billion supplemental outlay, P1.3-billion would cover all the necessary groundwork preparations by the Comelec and other deputized government agencies, while P9.959-billion will be needed for the acquisition of computers and other related machines to be distributed nationwide during the 2010 polls, the press release also said.*

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