MARAWI CITY, LANAO DEL SUR ― The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Rules Committee concluded the last public consultations for the proposed electoral code today, January 31, gaining the support of Lanao del Sur stakeholders.

Several groups have expressed support for the passage of the Parliament Bill No. 29, or the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

Representatives from Lanao del Sur’s provincial, city, municipal, and barangay local government units, as well as the Commission on Elections, academic institutions, civil society organizations, religious sectors, and other relevant stakeholders, participated in the sixth and final leg of public consultations for the said code.

Atty. Dimnatang Pansar, president of the Mayor’s League in Lanao del Sur, is optimistic that the electoral code will be enacted on time.

He also said that the code will benefit the entire Bangsamoro people.

Another group, representing the academic institution, Schools Division Superintendent of Lanao del Sur 1, Dr. Sahanee Macarampat-Sumagayan, said that the teachers in the province are fully committed to achieving long lasting peace in the region and that they are one of the sectors that supported the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

She also made some recommendations on the proposed BEC, suggesting that facilities for those with disabilities, senior citizens, and women should be provided during elections.

Women’s representation, a sectoral seat for Imam and Ulama, constitutionality, party district representatives, registration of political parties, representation of women, youth, and the religious sector in the proposed law were among the concerns raised by the constituencies in Lanao del Sur.

The electoral code is a key measure that will prescribe the structural, functional, and procedural principles in the conduct of elections for officers in the Bangsamoro region. It will ensure that the election of officers in the Bangsamoro region is honest, just, free, and credible.

A series of public consultations have already been conducted in Manila, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, and the BARMM Special Geographic Area with experts from the national commission on elections, election watchdogs, provincial, city, and municipal representatives, civil society organizations, religious sectors, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.

A 200-page consolidated matrix of position papers, excluding those from Lanao del Sur, has already been gathered by the committee. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)