Manila, January, 25, 2019, SPA -- The Organic Law establishing a new autonomous region for Muslims, in the south of the Philippines has been ratified, in a referendum earlier this week, the Philippines Election Commission has said, on Thursday. About 83 percent of more than 1,84 million people have voted on Monday, in five provinces, now known as the autonomous Muslim province of Mindanao, to ratify the establishment of the new Panjsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. The election commission has added that the southern city of Cotabato, which was not included in the current autonomous region, voted in favor of joining the new entity. The establishment of the Panjsamoro (Bangsamoro) Autonomous Region, is a key item of a peace agreement signed in 2014, between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). A second round of voting, will take place on February 6, in two other provinces, not part of the old autonomous region, for 29 years, and still largely dependent on the national government. -- SPA 19:38 LOCAL TIME 16:38 GMT 0010 www.spa.gov.sa/w826192