The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced on Wednesday that it has completed the printing of more than 2.2 million official ballots for the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections (BPE) set for October 13.
COMELEC Chairman Atty. George Erwin Garcia confirmed the development, saying the poll body has successfully printed 2,250,935 official ballots.
“All printing is done. We finished this morning (Wednesday),” Garcia said.
The printing of BPE ballots resumed last August 28 at the National Printing Office in Quezon City, following earlier preparations.
Comelec also confirmed that ballot verification has been completed for Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, the Special Geographic Area, and Tawi-Tawi.
“Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Special Geographic Area, and Tawi-Tawi has been completed,” Garcia reported.
Meanwhile, the verification process for Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Cotabato City is still underway.
“We expect to finish the verification process on Tuesday or Wednesday next week,” Garcia added.
The BARMM polls mark a historic first in the region, with voters set to elect members of the Bangsamoro Parliament under a new political framework born out of the peace process.