Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced an extension for the registration of online campaign platforms by candidates and political parties participating in the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), now scheduled for October 13. This extension moves the deadline from the original August 13 to August 18, providing additional time for compliance.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Comelec shared this update via a social media post on Thursday. The poll body emphasized that the registration deadline now accommodates weekends and holidays, allowing 24-hour access until 11:59 p.m. on the final day. The transmittal of hard copies to the Task Force KKK sa Halalan will continue to be available from Mondays to Saturdays, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., until Monday.

Comelec has mandated that all official social media accounts, websites, and other online platforms used for campaigning by candidates and parties in the upcoming BPE must be registered with them. Current data from Comelec indicates that around 100 candidates for district representatives and seven Regional Parliamentary Political Parties (RPPPs) are involved in the October elections. So far, 29 candidates and political parties have submitted their applications for online campaign platform registration, which includes 10 applications from RPPPs and 19 from district representative candidates.

In addition to the registration extension, Comelec has implemented a gun ban in Isabela City as part of the security measures for the BPE. The inclusion of Isabela City in the gun ban is due to its geographic location within the province of Basilan, despite it not being politically or administratively part of the province or the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The election period in this region commenced on August 14 and will continue until October 28, during which carrying firearms is prohibited unless authorized by the commission.