BARMM polls may be postponed
The Philippine Commission on Elections is considering postponing the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections due to the risk of severe flooding in voting centers. Officials are currently deploying election materials while monitoring weather conditions to ensure the democratic process remains accessible.
Why it matters
Ensuring electoral integrity in disaster-prone regions is critical for maintaining political stability and public trust in democratic institutions.
MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday raised the possibility of postponing the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Sept. 14, if the voting centers in the region will be submerged in flood and people will not be able to vote.
"There are certain areas, such as in Maguindanao and Cotabato, wherein severe flooding occurs. We are thinking of where people can go to vote, especially if flooding happens in their schools on election day," Comelec Chairman George Garcia told a press briefing yesterday.
He cited Section 6 of the Omnibus Election Code, which allows a resetting or postponement of election in areas affected by force majeure where people may not be able to vote.
"If election paraphernalia are destroyed, there is nothing that we can use for the election. We have to postpone the election. But at this point, we are not seeing that kind of scenario," Garcia said.
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