President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former Zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio Cerilles as Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Concerns, citing his decades of service as governor, congressman, and DENR Secretary as invaluable experience to drive progress in Mindanao. Cerilles, a prominent member of the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats party, was praised by President Marcos on social media for his dedication to public service. Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is preparing for the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) following the approval in principle of its P2.7 billion proposed budget by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). COMELEC Chairman George Garcia stated that part of the budget will be allocated for additional honorariums for teachers serving on the electoral board.
