BARMM NOW HAS OWN ELECTION LAW

AS promised to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, lawmakers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had passed the draft electoral code into law that BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim signed Thursday dawn.

At past 12 midnight, Interim Chief Minister Ebrahim and Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Speaker Atty. Pangalian Balindong signed into law BTA Bill No. 29 after it hurdled the third and final reading a day earlier.

It is now called Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 35 or the Bangsamoro Electoral Code of 2023.

During his visit last year in the BARMM, President Marcos urged regional leaders to pass the necessary codes as contained in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), especially the electoral code.

Chief Minister Ebrahim promised to the Chief Executive that the draft will become a law by first quarter of 2023 to guide the conduct of regional parliament elections in 2025.

The region’s electoral law that will prescribe the structural, functional, and procedural principles of the elections, referenda, and recall proceedings in the BARMM.

Sixty-four of the 81 lawmakers in attendance voted YES. Nobody voted against and nobody abstained.

MPs laud passage of electoral code

MEMBERS of Parliament lauded all those who have participated in the crafting of the electoral code leading to its historic approval Wednesday night and eventual signing into law by Interim Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim.

Among the MPs were physician Kadil Sinolinding, Jr, Romeo Sema and the lawyers Suharto Ambolodto and

By John Felix Unson

Paisalin Tago, separately told reporters Thursday there were extensive crosssection consultations on the intricacies and ramifications of the electoral code prior to its approval on third and final reading.

The electoral code is a requisite for the 2025 first ever regional polls in the Bangsamoro region, according to Sinolinding.

Tago said they

DID YOU KNOW? Womens Month

Proclamation No, 227 s. 1988, “Providing for the observance of the Month of March as

‘Women’s Role in History Month’” Signed by President Aquino on March 17, 1988, reinforced the earlier proclamation by emphasizing the role of Filipino women in the social, cultural, economic and political development throughout our history. It provided for a month-long nationwide observance with appropriate ceremonies and activities to be spearheaded by the Commission.

Philippine Commission on Women have also consulted the Commission on Elections during their deliberations on the measure, introduced more than two years ago.

“We are thankful to the provincial, municipal and city officials in BARMM for supporting the consultations on this measure in months past,” Tago said.

Sinolinding said the electoral code is essential to the “good

BIR honors BARMM’s top tax-remitting agencies

By Nash B. Maulana

FIVE agencies of the Bangsamoro Government were cited in a yearend report of the Bureau of Internal Revenue as top tax-remitting public offices in the records of the BIR’s District No. 107 in Cotabato City.

The BIR District Office made the recognition on March 2 honoring the five agencies of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in ceremonies marking the start of the year’s BIR Tax Campaign in the city.

BARMM’s contribution to the national government’s intensified tax campaign has

THE Ministry of Transportation and Communications in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOTCBARMM) has given the green light for the Husky Bus company to commence its Cotabato City-Wao, Lanao del Sur route and vice versa starting Thursday.

This after officials of been generated through taxes withheld from goods and services derived from paid contracts in the region’s procurement program, and from salaries drawn by the region’s workforce According to the BARMM Human Resource Development Plan, the region has some 4,000 officials and employees, apart from tens of thousands of teaching and non-teaching professionals serving its education sector.

The local BIR District Office cited the Office of the Chief Minister

By Edwin O. Fernandez

MOTC-BARMM joined the road test drive of 64-seater Double Deck Bus on Tuesday, March 7.

BARMM

Transportation Minister Paisalin Tago led the test drive along with officials from Land Transportation Office, department heads and MOTC employees to ensure bus worthiness and safety of travelers.

From Cotabato

City, Tago said, the bus traversed the towns of Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte to Pigcawayan, Alamada, Banisilan towns in North Cotabato and eventually to Wao, Lanao del Sur. Wao Mayor Elvino Balican welcomed the bus, Minister Tago, MOTC BARMM officials and company representatives.