The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared that it will commence the printing of ballots for the inaugural parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on January 6, 2025. This decision comes despite a pending legislative proposal to delay the BARMM Parliamentary Elections (BPE) by a year. During a live demonstration of the Trusted Build for the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) at the Chairman’s Hall in Manila, Comelec Chairman George Garcia confirmed the start date for the ballot printing. He emphasized that the printing of BARMM ballots would occur simultaneously with the ballots for the 2024 NLE at the National Printing Office in Quezon City. Garcia also mentioned the availability of backup machines from the NPO to ensure the process runs smoothly. The Comelec plans to print approximately 73 million ballots in total. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 11444, which seeks to postpone the BPE from May 12, 2025, to May 11, 2026. In preparation for the upcoming elections, the Comelec conducted a ‘trusted build’ to test the automated election system’s management, source code, consolidation, transmission, and internet voting components.
Comelec to Begin Printing Ballots for BARMM Parliamentary Elections on January 6
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