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COTABATO CITY — Four days prior to the National and Local (NLE) Elections, Education Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal urged the estimated 12,000 Bangsamoro teachers who will serve as poll workers on May 12 to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and maintain absolute political neutrality throughout the electoral process.
He encouraged the teachers to demonstrate exemplary behavior and to serve not only as election workers but also as role models for the youth and the community.
“We urge all teachers to avoid any form of political involvement — whether in action or appearance — that could compromise their (work) as partisan,” he emphasizes.
The Minister also emphasized that teachers’ participation in the electoral process is more than just a civic duty– it is a crucial contribution to the broader goals of peace, stability, and democratic integrity in the Bangsamoro region and the country as a whole.
“Let the people decide who they want to vote for. When educators remain neutral, they help ensure that the people’s voice is heard and respected through a fair and honest election result,” Iqbal explains.
In an exclusive interview, Atty. Rey Sumalipao, regional director of the Commission on Elections (Comelec-BARMM), assured the public that the region is well prepared for the upcoming NLE.
“We are fully prepared for the elections. Everything is in place—from the deployment of security personnel to the provision of voting materials and equipment, including the ballots,” he assures.
He also stressed that Comelec successfully conducted the final testing and sealing of all vote counting machines, confirming that all units are in good working condition.
Sumalipao reminded voters to bring a personal list of their preferred candidates to facilitate the election process. He also urged everyone to remain vigilant, comply with electoral laws, and actively work for clean, honest, and credible elections.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area’s (SGA) 63 barangays or villages that voted “Yes” in a plebiscite in February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. (✓) (Johaira Sahidala/BIO)