BARMM party filing deadline extended

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March 20, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —   The Commission on Elections has extended until April 6 the filing of petitions for registration and accreditation of regional political parties and parliamentary sectoral organizations seeking to join the first Bangsamoro parliamentary poll in November, the Comelec said.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the extension was approved en banc to give applicants more time amid the observance of Ramadan, Eid’l Fitr and the upcoming Holy Week.

The extension would allow more groups to complete their applications and seek accreditation for the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls, giving them more time to complete the process, he added.

“We announced that the Comelec en banc decision extended the filing of applications, petitions for registration of political parties and sectoral organizations in Bangsamoro,” Garcia said.

The registration and accreditation period for regional parliamentary political parties and coalitions was originally scheduled from March 17 to 20, while parliamentary sectoral organizations and sectoral wings were allowed to file from March 16 to 23.

“We are still in the time of the holy month of Ramadan, and this could be completed by the 20th of March. After this, our Holy Week for Catholics will come,” Garcia added.

DOLE sets holiday pay

Meanwhile, workers who report for duty today, when the country observes Eid’l Fitr, are entitled to holiday pay, the Department of Labor and Employment said in an advisory.

Under DOLE Labor Advisory 4, the agency said employees who do not report for work today “shall be paid 100 percent of their wage for that day.”

Employees who work during the regular holiday “must be paid 200 percent of their wage for the first eight hours,” DOLE said.

For work exceeding eight hours, the labor department said the employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate.

If the regular holiday falls on the worker’s rest day and the employee reports for work, DOLE said the employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the basic wage of 200 percent.