Senator Robinhood "Robin" Padilla has filed a bill seeking to create a special province in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) called "Kutawato" in an aim to ensure the constitutional right of suffrage for residents there.

Padilla filed on Monday, November 11, Senate Bill No. 2875 creating the special geographic area, which will cover 63 "orphaned" barangays that opted in to joining BARMM in 2019.

"The establishment of the Special Geographic Area (SGA) reflects the historic aspirations of the sixty-three (63) barangays from the municipalities of Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigcawayan, Pikit, and Aleosan in the Province of Cotabato to become part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), as affirmed through a plebiscite held on February 6, 2019," Padilla said in his bill.

Under the bill, the proposed Kutawato province shall consist of the towns of Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan, and Ligawasan, which covered the 63 barangays in the Special Geographic Area. Pahamuddin shall be the capital town of the province.

Last November 7, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia noted voters in the 63 barangays could not vote because they currently do not belong to any province.

Padilla aired concerns that the current situation of voters in the eight towns may violate their constitutional right to suffrage, as outlined in Section 1, Article V of the 1987 Constitution.

"To address this serious concern, this bill thus proposes to create an SGA under the BARMM to be known as the Kutawato Province, to be composed of the eight (8) abovementioned municipalities with Pahamuddin as its proposed capital. It outlines the powers and functions of the provincial government, including but not limited to revenue generation, taxation, land use regulations, consistent with the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991," Padilla said in his bill.

"To facilitate the swift development of these newly established municipalities within the SGA and to ensure the provision of essential services to their constituents, it is essential to establish a province that will oversee and support these localities,” he said.

“The creation of Kutawato Province also aims to streamline the delivery of basic services and facilities and enhance local government operations within these areas," he added.

Also, he noted the bill aims to safeguard against the disenfranchisement of residents "by ensuring their access to adequate and effective government services."