For the first time since the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019, about 2.4 million registered voters are expected to elect new leaders on Sept. 14 in the historic first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE).

The elected officials will comprise the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament, with 80 members and seats divided among party representatives, district representatives and sectoral representatives.

Currently, the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the provisional BARMM lawmaking body, consists of appointed officials who have managed the region’s affairs since 2019, when BARMM was created from the old Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) setup.

Voters will elect 32 district representatives in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Cotabato, Marawi, Lamitan, and the Special Geographic Area (SGA) in North Cotabato.

They will also choose political party representatives by electing one party out of 13 Commission on Elections-accredited regional political parties and eight sectoral representatives.

The eight sectoral representative seats are allocated as follows: two seats for Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs), two for settler communities, one for the women’s sector, one for the youth sector, one for the Ulama (religious) sector, and one for the traditional leaders’ sector.

The NMIP has chosen its parliament representative through a traditional selection process last week.

Only six sectoral representatives are designated to be voted for in the election.

On the official ballot, 13 Regional Parliamentary Political Parties compete for the 40 party-representative seats under the proportional representation system.

Under the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, a party must receive at least 2.5 percent of the valid votes cast to qualify for seat allocation.

People’s take on BARMM elections

In a statement on Tuesday, Mayor Akmad Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur, expressed optimism about the regional political exercise.

“The conduct of the first parliamentary elections in the BARMM is a clear sign that we are heading to a more responsive and inclusive form of government,” he said.

He called on constituents of his town to vote on Sept. 14 to ensure a win for their preferred candidates in the parliamentary polls.

“The election is important because the mandate of the BARMM leaders would really come from the people, unlike when they were appointed,” Cesario Glimada, a 39-year-old security guard in Cotabato City, said during a short interview on the matter.

Jovie Gutang, an agricultural products supplier in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, also expressed confidence in the upcoming regional parliamentary voting.

“Under BARMM, health services have improved not only in urban centers but in remote communities whose residents have not seen a government doctor ever since,” Gutang said.

Even a military officer also expressed approval for the conduct of the BPE.

“I hope peace will continue to prevail in the Bangsamoro region as the people elect new leaders,” Army Sgt. George Benez of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Datu Odin Sinsuat said.

Joselito Paracueles, a resident of the SGA-BARMM, said he prefers the current autonomous regional government than the previous ARMM setup.

“Before, basic government services hardly reached our communities. Now, with SGA around, at least health services, education, social services, among others, are in our midst,” he said.

Pastor Cresencio Subaldo of Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines is optimistic that the regional election will truly provide the Bangsamoro electorate with the freedom to choose their leaders for the next five years.

“We strongly support the holding of the election and the establishment of a regional government where leaders have a mandate from the people they serve,” Subaldo said.

Roberto Regacho, a government employee in Cotabato City, said BARMM parliamentary elections are necessary to complete the Mindanao peace process.

“In this autonomous setup of governance, major stakeholders are taking part in running the affairs of the regional government. You have Bangsamoro, Christian Settlers, Indigenous Peoples, sectoral representatives from youth, women, Ulama and traditional leaders. This is unique,” Regacho said. (PNA)