The Commission on Elections is calling on residents of Maguindanao province to exercise their right to vote in their upcoming plebiscite scheduled on 17 September.
Comelec chairperson George Garcia stressed that exercising the right to suffrage will ensure that the future generations of the province will be protected.
“Let’s call on Maguindanao, go out and vote. This is for your future, not for us, not for just one person. This is for your future,” Garcia said. “I believe that because of love of Maguindanaoans in their province, because this is your aspirations, if you really want to divide, if you really don’t want it, the important thing is always, remember, vote.”
“It is not enough for Yes to win or for No to win enough. We should ensure that the people can vote… We will remember, always, sovereignty resides on the people,” he added during the Maguindanao Plebiscite Coordinating Conference in Cotabato City.
Garcia also called on the plebiscite stakeholders to remain vigilant against election-related violence and other kinds of violations.
“Let us not ignore that it’s just a plebiscite, that’s why I’m asking you all, our coordination for the coming plebiscite is really needed,” Garcia said.
The people of Maguindanao will decide on whether to divide their provinces into two, to be known as provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur on 17 September.
The province has a total of 818,790 registered voters from 508 barangays, with 4,601 established precincts and 1,669 clustered precincts located in 467 voting centers.
The plebiscite has an approved budget of P89,177,012.10 sourced from the provincial government.