Preparations for the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections next year are underway with officials underscoring its importance for the region’s peace process.
BARMM (Wikipedia photo)
Cabinet Secretary and BARMM spokesman Mohd Asnin Pendatun said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 1, that President Marcos has directed the peaceful, credible, and honest elections with a high voter turnout.
“Puspusan po iyong preparations na atin pong ginagawa for the first parliamentary elections sa Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (The preparations for the first parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are in full swing),” he said.
“So, kaliwa’t kanan po iyong atin pong mga information-education campaign at ang ilan pa pong mga fora kung saan in-explain natin kung ano po iyong importansiya noong pagkakaroon ho ng ating first parliamentary elections sa atin pong mga electorate (So, we are doing numerous information-education campaign and other fora where we explain the importance of having our first parliamentary elections to our electorate),” he added.
Pendatun expressed confidence that a high voter turnout is possible if people will work together, although he also expressed concern about the possibility of violence in known election hotspots.
“Dapat ho mapataas ho iyong presence noong atin pong mga security forces at iba pa pong mga neutral forces (We need to increase the presence of our security forces and other neutral forces),” he stressed, adding that they will ensure the orderly process of the elections.
The official also assured that the BARMM elections will be inclusive.
“In fact, in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, mayroon pa ho tayong tinatawag na mga (we have what’s called) reserved seats para ho sa atin pong mga (for the) members of the parliament,” he shared.
These reserved seats, he explained, are for the non-Moro indigenous peoples like Christian settlers, Ulama, the youth, traditional leaders, and others who, historically, had a hard time getting representation in the Bangsamoro parliament.
“So, pagdating ho diyan, rest assured po that in the BARMM, ang kailangan ho natin pong magiging batayan lang talaga is iyon pong plataporma noong atin pong mga kandidato at iyon pong mga party na lalahok po (When it comes to that [inclusivity] rest assured that in the BARMM, our basis is the platform of our candidates and the parties that will participate) for the first parliamentary elections,” Pendatun said.
Noting that the “first parliamentary elections in the BARMM is part and parcel” of the overall peace process in the region, the official expressed gratitude to Marcos for the support he has given it.
“Isa pong peace process ay nagsimula pa ho noong panahon ng tatay ho ng atin pong Pangulo at tayo ho ay nagagalak dahil ramdam po natin iyong suporta ng atin pong Presidente Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. na ‘ika nga ay mabigyan na ng positive ending ito pong peace process (This peace process started during the time of our President’s father and we are happy to feel the support of our President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to give a positive ending to the peace process),” he said.
“At under the Bagong Pilipinas, makakaasa ho kayo na all-out po ang support ng bagong Bangsamoro (And under the New Philippines, you are rest assured for an all-out support for a new Bangsamoro),” he added.