COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Candidates for barangay chairman in 19 of the 37 villages in Cotabato City will run unopposed in the May elections, a first in the city's five-decade history. Although Cotabato City is in Maguindanao province, it is under the jurisdiction of PRO-12. Cotabato City is also the administrative and political capital of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Big shopping malls, mostly operating with national franchises, have sprouted in Cotabato City in the last four years, apparently brought in by the improving security in the area. Gonzalez said PRO-12 is also grateful to the office of Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi for helping facilitate the collection last week of 44 assorted unlicensed firearms from her constituents in the city.

Source: Philippine Star April 29, 2018 07:41 UTC