Comelec: 89K voters expected for plebiscite to create 8 BARMM towns

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said that 89,500 individuals are expected to vote for the creation of eight new municipalities in the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area.

In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said the voting period will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 13, Saturday.

The plebiscite is for the establishment of the proposed municipalities of Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan, and Ligawasa.

“Ang susunod na hakbang po diyan ay yung sinasabi natin na creation na po ng independent entity ng kani-kanilang munisipyo kung saan po mag fa-function na po sila. At most likely po, sa 2025 po ay mag hahalal na rin tayo ng kanilang mga opisyales,” Laudiangco said.

(What comes next is the creation of the independent entity or their municipality where they will start to function. Most likely, by 2025, they will be voting for their officials.)

Laudiangco said the Comelec held the first command conference regarding the plebiscite on Monday to determine the readiness of the poll body and its partner agencies.

“Base po sa aming karanasan nung 2022 election at nung barangay and SK elections (BSKE)… ito pong mga lugar na nabanggit… wala pong na-experience na election-related violence or election-related incidents diyan. Kaya po kami umaasa na mag pre-prevail po ‘yung maayos na peace and order situation,” Laudiangco said.

(Based on our experience in the 2022 elections and the BSKE, these areas that were mentioned did not experience any election-related violence or election-related incidents. So we are hoping that a good peace and order situation will prevail.

Meanwhile, as of Friday, Laudiangco said the poll body has received 911,000 applications during the voter registration period. of the 911,000, he said that 5,000 were new voters.  — RSJ, GMA Integrated News