COTABATO CITY—Commission on Elections (COMELEC) approved on June 5 Resolution No. 11004, extending the application period for the sectoral representative organizations until July 1, 2024, aligned with the upcoming May parliamentary elections next year.
“After due deliberation, the Commission En Banc, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, the Administrative Code of 1987, and other relevant statutes, hereby RESOLVES, to EXTEND the period for the conduct of certain activities in the BARMM,” the resolution stipulates.
Previously, COMELEC Chairperson George Erwin Garcia mentioned on Monday, June 3, during his interview, the possible extension for filing, saying, “Pinag-iisipan na natin baka pwede pang ma-extend yung filing ng ating petitions para sa pagpapa-accredit sa mga regional political parties.”
[We have been thinking about whether or not to extend the filing of petitions for the accreditation of the regional political parties.]
Also specified in the document is the amended deadline, set for Aug. 30, for the last day to file petitions regarding the registration or accreditation of a coalition in the Bangsamoro region with Manifestation of Intent to Participate in the Parliamentary Election (MIP-PE).
Extended on Sept. 30 is the last day to file the MIP-PE of Party Representative with the attached list of nominees and certificate of acceptance of nomination with an affidavit of non-affinity.
Under Section 7 par. (c) of Article VII of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the law which created the BARMM, the sectoral representatives shall constitute at least 10%—totaling eight seats—of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament, specifically: two seats each for the non-Moro indigenous peoples (NMIPs) and settler communities, and one seat each for women, youth, traditional leaders, and the Ulama.
On May 27, Bangsamoro Government Spokesperson Mohd Asnin Pendatun urged more sectoral representatives to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary polls during his Usapang Bangsamoro press briefing.
“We preferred to convene earlier for the press conference to promote and encourage more individuals to certify for sectoral representation in our BTA Parliament,” Pendatun, who is also the Cabinet Secretary of the BARMM, said.
The Bangsamoro Government, through its Bangsamoro Information Office (BIO), spearheads the ongoing Halalang Bangsamoro campaign in disseminating information about the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC), the governing law for the upcoming polls next year.
This campaign is in partnership with the COMELEC and various civil society organizations (CSOs) to prioritize voter education and awareness and ensure a well-informed electorate for the 2025 parliamentary elections. (Johamin Inok/BIO)
