MANILA: The new towns that would emerge from the ratification of their creation through a plebiscite in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) would be able to elect their first officials in next year’s midterm elections.

“In case the proposed creation of new municipalities is ratified, we expect that the election of their local officials will be done in the forthcoming May 2025 elections. Most likely, the election of mayors, vice mayors, and councilors will happen in 2025,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing Wednesday.

The Comelec has set on April 13 the plebiscite in the BARMM’s special geographic area, which is composed of 63 barangays of North Cotabato that are being proposed to form eight new municipalities — Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan and Ligawasan.

The scheduled electoral exercise is in accordance with Bangsamoro Autonomy Act Nos. 41 to 48.

Meanwhile,
voters in the BARMM are set to get two ballots in next year’s polls, as they will participate in the midterm elections and the first parliamentary elections in the region.

“One ballot is for the national and local elections, which include senators and party-lists and local officials; and a separate ballot for the election of members of the parliament,” Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia said in an interview.

Garcia admitted that holding simultaneously two elections is a big challenge for them.

“One of the biggest challenges we are preparing for is the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections because it is the first time we’ll be doing it, and it will be held simultaneously with the national and local polls. There is really extra effort and challenge for the Comelec,” he said.

The Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will elect the successors of the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament members.

Source: Philippines News Agency