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Thursday, June 23, 2022

Plebiscite on dividing Maguindanao set in September

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

A plebiscite for the ratification of the division of Maguindanao into 2 provinces will be held on Sept. 17, 2022, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Thursday.

The Commission en banc set the date for the plebiscite during a regular session, said acting Comelec spokesperson Joh Rex Laudiangco.

President Rodrigo Duterte last year approved Republic Act 11550 which divided the southern province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.

The 2 provinces will be created upon approval by the majority of residents in a plebiscite, the charter reads.

Maguindanao's land size has posed challenges to the delivery of basic services to its about 1.7 million residents, the sponsor of the law, Sen. Francis Tolentino, earlier said.

The creation of the 2 new Maguindanao provinces will make government services more accessible, he said.

Duterte, the first president from Mindanao, promised to bring progress to the countryside.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag said he hoped that the incoming administration would expand "gains" in the Bangsamoro region. He said some 19,000 former rebels have been "decommissioned", while P2.6 billion was allotted to "socioeconomic" projects.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/23/22/plebiscite-on-maguindanao-split-set-on-sept-17

Plebiscite on dividing Maguindanao into 2 provinces set for September 17

By HANA BORDEY, GMA News

A plebiscite to decide whether to ratify the law splitting Maguindanao into two provinces has been scheduled by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for September 17.

This was announced by acting Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco on Thursday.

Under Republic Act 11550, or the law dividing the province of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, the two provinces will be created upon approval by the majority of the votes cast by the voters of the affected areas in a plebiscite to be conducted and supervised by the Comelec within 90 days from the date of the effectivity of the law.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law on May 27, 2021.

Under the law, Maguindanao del Norte will be composed of the municipalities of Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, and Talitay. Its seat of government will be Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Maguindanao del Sur will be composed of Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdulla Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Sharif Aguak, Sharif Saydona Mustafa, Sultan sa Barongis, Talayan, and South Upi. Its seat of government will be Buluan.

Meanwhile, the Comelec granted honoraria to 20 personnel of the Department of Information and Communications Technology who provided technical support during the May 9 national and local polls.

Further, the poll body approved the posting and publication of Forms "1" and "A" of the Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) of national candidates, party-list groups, and political parties on the Comelec website, subject to full compliance with data privacy laws, rules, and regulations. —VBL, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/835852/plebiscite-on-dividing-maguindanao-into-2-provinces-set-for-september-17/story/