SULTAN KUDARAT: The leadership of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is looking to integrate eight newly created towns in its special geographic area (SGA) before the last quarter of the year.
The SGA was ratified by voters in a plebiscite over the weekend.
‘We are hoping that before October, lahat ng process ay maging okay na para ma-ensure natin na itong mga taga SGA ay may participation sa 2025 elections, may probinsya may municipalities na (all processes have been fine-tuned so we can ensure that SGA residents would be able to participate in the 2025 elections. There is one province and there are municipalities),’ BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim said on the sidelines of the Register Anywhere Project of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) inside Camp Darapanan here.
Ebrahim said they are in the process of screening proposals for the integration.
The next step after the creation of the eight new towns would be the selection of officers-in-charge (OIC) mayors to oversee the a
reas.
Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the creation of another province is up to Congress.
‘Hintayin natin kung magkakaprobinsya. ‘Yun ay sa Congress. Hihintayin natin action ng Congress. Kami, kung ano sabihin sa amin ng Bangsamoro at Congress, susunod ang Comelec. ‘Yun ang aming tungkulin (Let’s wait if there would be a province that would be created. Let’s wait for the Congress’ action. As for us, the Comelec will comply with what the Bangsamoro and the Congress want. That is our mandate),’ Garcia said.
Garcia was joined by Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. for the opening of the RAP inside the Camp Darapanan and Camp Abubakar, which are Moro Islamic Liberation Front strongholds.
The Comelec chief also officially turned over the results of the April 13 plebiscite to Ebrahim.
A total of 72,358 voted ‘Yes’ to ratify the creation of the eight new municipalities while only 273 said ‘No’ for an overall voter turnout of 81.10 percent.
The 63 vi
llages composing the SGA has a total of 89,594 registered voters.
Pursuant to Bangsamoro Autonomy Act Nos. 41 to 48, and following the ratification, the municipalities created in BARMM are:
–Municipality of Pahamuddin (12 barangays)
–Municipality of Kadayangan (7 barangays)
–Municipality of Nabalawag (7 barangays)
–Municipality of Old Kaabakan (7 barangays)
–Municipality of Kapalawan (7 barangays)
–Municipality of Malidegao (7 barangays)
–Municipality of Tugunan (9 barangays)
–Municipality of Ligawasan (7 barangays)
Source: Philippines News Agency