MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA)--The Bangsamoro Parliament’s Rules Committee concluded the last public consultations for the proposed electoral code, gaining the support of Lanao del Sur stakeholders.

Several groups have expressed support for the passage of Parliament Bill No. 29, or the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.

Lawyer Dimnatang Pansar, who is the head of the Lanao del Sur Mayor's League, is hopeful that the electoral code will be put into place on time.

He also said the code will benefit the entire Bangsamoro people.

Schools Division Superintendent of Lanao del Sur 1, Dr. Sahanee Macarampat-Sumagayan, said teachers in the province are fully committed to achieving long-lasting peace in the region and that they were one of the groups that supported the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

She also made some recommendations on the proposed BEC, suggesting that facilities for those with disabilities, senior citizens, and women should be provided during elections.

Concerns from the province's constituencies included representation of women, a sectoral seat for imams and ulama, constitutionality, party district representatives, registration of political parties, and representation of women, youth, and the religious sector in the proposed law.

The proposed electoral code is a key measure that will prescribe the structural, functional, and procedural principles in the conduct of elections for officers in the Bangsamoro region. It will make sure that the elections for leaders in the Bangsamoro region are fair, free, honest, and trustworthy.

A series of public consultations have already been conducted in Manila, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Cotabato City, and the BARMM Special Geographic Area with experts from the national commission on elections, election watchdogs, provincial, city, and municipal representatives, civil society organizations, religious sectors, academic institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.

A 200-page consolidated matrix of position papers, excluding those from Lanao del Sur, has already been gathered by the committee.

Representatives from Lanao del Sur's provincial, city, municipal, and barangay local government units, as well as the Commission on Elections, academic institutions, civil society organizations, religious sectors, and other relevant stakeholders, took part in the sixth and final round of public consultations for the said code. (BTA/PIA Lanao del Sur)