FROM being known as the special geographic area (SGA), the 63 barangays of North Cotabato under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will now have their eight new municipalities.
This, after the registered voters of the SGA ratified the proposal for the creation of eight new municipalities via the plebiscite held by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday.
“Pursuant to Bangsamoro Autonomy Act Nos. 41 to 48, and following ratification, the eight municipalities in BARMM are hereby created, namely Pahamuddin (with 12 barangays), Kadayangan (with 7 barangays), Nabalawag (with 7 barangays), Old Kaabakan (with 7 barangays), Kapalawan (with 7 barangays), Malidegao (with 7 barangays), Tugunan (with 9 barangays), and Ligawasan (with 7 barangays),” said the Comelec in a statement on late Saturday night.
The poll body said that out of the 89,594 registered voters of the participating barangays, there were 72,658 voters who cast their votes, for an overall voter turnout of 81.10 percent.
Of those who voted, 72,358 voters indicated their “yes” votes to ratify the creation of the eight new municipalities, while 103 voters answered “no.”
“The Bangsamoro people, especially the residents of the eight newly-established municipalities, should also be commended for standing united in their years-long aspiration to have their own local government and easier access to essential services, since they voted to be included in the BARMM in 2019,” said the Comelec.
In a phone interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the poll body is pleased with the “successful, peaceful, and orderly” conduct of the plebiscites.
The conduct of the plebiscite is in accordance with the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act Nos. 41 to 48, which provides the creation of eight municipalities from the 63 barangays of the SGA, all in North Cotabato.
