The Commission on Elections is reviewing polling centers in flood-prone areas as heavy rains raise concerns over accessibility ahead of several electoral exercises this year.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said Monday the poll body is particularly concerned about schools and other voting centers that could become inaccessible if flooding persists on election day.

Comelec personnel are assessing whether polling places in flood-prone communities will remain usable and accessible and identifying alternative sites if necessary.

The review comes as the southwest monsoon continues to bring heavy rains to parts of the country.

Garcia said the location of polling centers could become a critical concern if roads and schools are inundated.

Comelec is also preparing measures to address potential problems in transmitting election results, particularly in areas where telecommunications services could be disrupted.

Additional equipment and resources are being prepared to help ensure election results can still be transmitted in case of connectivity problems.

The poll body is preparing for several electoral exercises this year, including the special congressional election in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, on 29 August and the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on 14 September.

The first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will involve about 2.4 million registered voters.

Comelec is also preparing for the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

Officials are coordinating with local authorities and security forces on logistical and security concerns, particularly in areas where bad weather could affect accessibility and the deployment of election equipment and materials.

Under Section 15 of the Omnibus Election Code, an election may be postponed in an area because of force majeure, violence, terrorism, fraud or other similar circumstances that make the holding of a free, orderly and honest election impossible.

Comelec may set a new election date within the period provided by law when an election is postponed on such grounds.

Garcia stressed, however, that the current rains would not automatically prevent elections from proceeding, saying Comelec would first assess actual conditions on the ground.

The Dasmariñas special election will fill the congressional seat vacated following the expulsion of former representative Francisco Barzaga Jr. Comelec earlier said it would need about P191 million to conduct the election.

Garcia said preparations for the electoral exercises would continue despite weather-related challenges.