Cotabato (AsiaNews) - There are 2.39 million registered voters for the first parliamentary elections of the Muslim autonomous region in Mindanao, in the southern Philippines, which are being held today after a process marked by frequent interruptions that spanned four decades. As the “successor” to the first form of autonomy—the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (1989), which never truly took off—and following years of transition under the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao is now fully established with the election of its parliament, which is scheduled to take office on October 30.
In this first legislative term, the elected officials will remain in office until May 12, 2031, coinciding with the national and local elections in the Philippines; thereafter, the term will last three years. Voting takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1,186 polling stations, and partial results could be available as early as this evening or tomorrow morning thanks to electronic voting and data collection via Starlink connections once the polls close.
The data will then be aggregated at seven collection centers covering the five provinces of BARM (Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi), the city of Cotabato, and the Special Geographical Area (63 communities in Cotabato Province that have opted in). In total, the area covers just under 12,000 square kilometers but is densely populated by 5.7 million people.
Meticulous planning, along with security measures in these areas (primarily those with Muslim majorities in Mindanao and the southernmost islands) and the deployment of 20,000 national police officers, have allowed for polling station preparations in recent days to proceed without significant tensions or violence. However, this morning in the city of Cotabato, a clash erupted between two opposing factions over a dispute regarding priority access to polling stations, leading to a shootout that left three dead and 15 wounded.
The elections will result in the formation of the Bangsamoro’s first unicameral parliament, composed of 80 members: 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives (sectoral). Voters may cast eight preferences: one for a political party, one for a district representative, and six for sectoral representatives. The 40 seats reserved for political parties will be allocated using proportional representation with a 2.5% threshold of valid votes. As their first act, they will elect the region’s prime minister, who in turn will appoint the members of the executive branch.
As part of an international commitment to ensure the success of this event—which it is hoped will finally usher in stability, peace, and prosperity in the region—108 international observers, including those from the European Union, are also monitoring the fairness of the voting and counting processes.
Mel Senen Sarmiento, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s peace adviser, emphasized the importance of international oversight at a time when Bangsamoro (“Moro Nation”) is opening a new chapter in its long quest for self-determination, calling it “a clear vote of confidence in the electoral process.” Sarmiento also emphasized that these elections are not simply about choosing leaders: “It is about realizing the aspirations—nurtured for decades—of the Bangsamoro people, who have dreamed of, worked toward, and made great sacrifices for peace, self-governance, and a better future.”
