MARAWI CITY--To ensure free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections, the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MBHTE-BARMM) has launched its 2022 Election Task Force.

The creation of the MBHTE-BARMM election task force complies with the Department of Education (DepEd) Memorandum 010, s. 2022 entitled "Establishment of the 2022 DepEd Election Task Force and Its Operation in Monitoring Center in the Central, Regional, and School/CIity Division Offices in Connection with the May 09, 2022 National and Local Elections."

It is composed of the Regional and Division Election Task Force which shall ensure that all MBHTE personnel, teaching and non-teaching, shall be provided with adequate information, technical support, and legal assistance in the course of the performance of their duties as members of the Electoral Board on May 9, 2022 national and local elections.

The Regional and Division Election Task Force is composed of five groups or units, namely: steering group, operations and legal support group, secretariat, call center monitoring database unit, and logistics and external coordination mobile unit.

MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal reminded teachers who will serve in the elections to maintain neutrality and stick to what is being implemented by the law.

“Let us stay neutral, remember that you have a right to choose your candidates, and just stick to the law and principle for us to have a clean, peaceful, and transparent in the near 2022 election,” Minister Iqbal said.

“This launching is part of the memorandum between MBHTE and Commission on Elections to ensure the security and safety of our teachers who will serve for the upcoming 2022 election,” he added.

During the launching ceremony held at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex, MBHTE legal officials oriented the task force on constitutional provisions, laws, and jurisprudence on electioneering and political partisan activity; participation and preparations for the 2022 NLE; and political neutrality and learner’s participation in political partisan activity.

MBHTE Attorney IV Hamida Mantikayan said that Electoral Board members are prohibited to wear any election paraphernalia, give financial contributions for the benefit of a candidate or party, be a delegate to any political convention, and form groups or organizations to solicit votes. (Johaira B. Sahidala/BIO)