THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is looking at completing the printing of the 2.25 million official ballots to be used in the October 13 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) by September 15.
In a press conference at the National Printing Office (NPO), Comelec chairman George Garcia said completing the printing of the 2,250,935 BPE ballots by the middle of next month would give them sufficient time to deploy them to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“Verifying the ballots will also take a long time. That’s why we gave it (ballot printing) until September 15 to verify the ballots that will be printed,” he said.
The Comelec yesterday resumed the printing of the BPE ballots, starting with those for Tawi-Tawi (251,958) and Basilan (228,179). These will be followed by the ballots for the Special Geographic Area (115,533), Maguindanao del Sur (439,311), Maguindanao del Norte (520,285), and Lanao del Sur (695,669).
Already printed by the NPO are those for the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) and Pre-Logic and Accuracy Test (Pre-LAT) ballots.
“The Commission will do everything to be able to finish printing the ballots on September 15,” Garcia said.
The Comelec deferred the start of the printing of the BPE ballots last week after it was told that the bill redistricting the BARMM may have an effect on the ballot faces.
BARMM chief minister Abdulraof Macacua yesterday officially signed the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025, or the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77, which redistributes the seven parliamentary district seats originally allocated to Sulu prior to its exclusion from the BARMM.
Under the BAA No. 77, nine parliamentary districts will now be under Lanao del Sur, five under Maguindanao del Norte, five under Maguindanao del Sur, four under Basilan, four under Tawi-Tawi, three under Cotabato City, and two under the Special Geographic Area.
The law, which is effective immediately, tasks the Comelec to issue the necessary implementing guidelines for the 2025 BPE.
Garcia, however, reiterated that the Comelec can no longer implement and adopt BAA No. 77 due to “lack of material time”.
“We apologize, especially to the (Bangsamoro) parliament. We understand you but it seems like we can’t enforce the law anymore,” he said, explaining that implementing the changes the law provides would have the Comelec complete their recalibration and changes a week after Election Day.
“October 20 is already a very conservative estimate from us. We don’t want to be blamed later on for being the reason why the BPE is reset,” he added.
Garcia said they will pursue their preparations for the BPE sans the incorporation of the BAA No. 77 unless they are stopped by the Supreme Court (SC).
“Until and unless a restraining order will be issued against the Comelec, then the Commission will proceed with our preparations. And that is with all due respect to everyone,” he said.
Garcia reminded candidates and political parties in the October 13 polls to disregard the redistricting of BARMM provided under BAA No. 77, saying a status quo will be observed.
“The districts, where you filed your candidacy on November 4-9, 2024, that is the district where you will run. That is also the district where you should be campaigning. Whatever the changes are in the new law, the Comelec has decided that it will not be implemented for the 2025 elections. For 2025, whatever your district was when you filed your candidacy and are on the ballots, that is the district where you should be campaigning,” he said.
The 45-day campaign period in the BARMM started yesterday. It shall run until October 11.
