The Philippine Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has excluded blockchain technology from its 2028 national election budget, following a recommendation from the Department of Budget and Management. This decision reduces the election budget from PHP 25 billion to approximately PHP 19 billion. COMELEC Chairman George Garcia cited budget optimization and data privacy concerns as reasons for the exclusion. Blockchain technology had been considered for integration into the Automated Election System to enhance transparency and prevent ballot fraud. Despite its exclusion, COMELEC assures that preparations for the 2028 elections are on track, with procurement for new vote-counting machines set to begin in August 2026 and contracts expected to be awarded by early 2027.