BARMM starts screening applicants for appointive posts in 8 new towns
COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim has created an ad hoc committee to screen applicants who will be appointed to local government posts in the eight newly created towns in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) here.
In his Executive Order No. 1 issued on May 1, Ebrahim named Lawyer Sha Elijah B. Dumama-Alba, Member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament and concurrent BARMM Minister of the Interior, to chair the committee that would screen and review the applicants.Ebrahim also named as committee members BARMM’s Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin K. Pendatun and Chief of Staff Alvin-Yasher K. Abdulgafar; BTA Deputy Floor Leader lawyer Mary Ann Arnado and Parliament Member Baileng S. Mantawil; and Maguindanao del Norte provincial administrator Tomanda Antok.
The BTA enacted in August last year the regional laws creating eight towns in the SGA, which is composed of 63 villages from eight towns in Cotabato province that opted to join the BARMM. The laws were ratified in a plebiscite last April 13.
Ebrahim tasked the committee to screen, review and facilitate the vetting of applications received from interested and qualified individuals for the positions of mayors, vice mayors and members of the municipal councils of each of the new towns of Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan and Ligawasan.The committee has 45 days from May 2 to make a shortlist of at least three nominees for every vacancy in each town.
The appointed officials, whose municipal operations will be funded by BARMM, will serve until their successors are elected in the May 2025 local elections.
Composition
Under the laws creating the new towns, the former villages of Central Labas, Kapinpilan, Malingao, Mudseng, Sambulawan, Tugal and Tumbras that belonged to Cotabato’s town of Midsayap will make up the new Bangsamoro town of Kadayangan; the former Carmen town villages of Kibayao, Kitulaan, Langogan, Manarapan, Nasapian, Pebpoloan and Tupig will make up Kapalawan; the former Pikit town villages of Bagoinged, Barungis, Bulol, Buliok, Gli-Gli, Kabasalan and Rajamuda to compose the town of Ligawasan; The former Pikit villages of Balungis, Batulawan, Fort Pikit, Gokotan, Nabundas, Nalapaan and Nunguan to compose the Bangsamoro town of Malidegao; the former Midsayap villages of Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kudarangan, Nabalawag and Olandang will join the former Aleosan village of Dungguan to make up the new town of Nabalawag; the former Kabacan villages of Buluan, Nangaan, Sanggadong, Simbuhay, Simone, Pedtad and Tamped to make up the new Old Kaabakan town; The former Pigcawayan villages of Balacayon, Buricain, Datu Binasing, Datu Mantil, Kadingilan, Lower Pangangkalan, Libungan Torreta, Matilac, Patot, Upper Pangangkalan, Lower Baguer and Simsiman to form the new town of Pahamuddin; and the former Pikit villages of Balong, Bualan, Lagunde, Macabual, Macasendeg, Manaulanan, Pamalian and Panicupan will join the former Aleosan village of Tapodoc to form the new Bangsamoro town of Tugunan. INQ
