President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has said the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is ready for its first parliamentary elections in 2025.
In his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, 2024, Marcos lauded the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) for enacting five laws, which will serve as foundation of the Bangsamoro government.
“Five out of the seven essential laws for the BARMM have already been enacted by the BTA Parliament. Now ,it has its own Administrative Code, it has its own Local Government Code, its own Election Code, and those for the Education and Civil Service as well,” Marcos said.
“So, with these inspiring developments, the BARMM appears prime and ready for its regular elections, the first ones that they will have in the coming year,” Marcos added.
The first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections and the midterm polls will be conducted simultaneously in the region in May 2025.
According to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), 16 political parties have filed their application for registration in the parliamentary elections while there are around 1,500 applicants for regional sectoral organizations for the eight positions in the parliament, as of this writing.
"Sasalain natin yan at hindi ko po alam kung may mga existing na regional parties dito ay sila rin ba ang nagfile o baka hindi nag-file. Basta sa amin kung sino ang andiyan ngayon yung labing-anim, sila ang sasalain upang alamin kung sino ba talaga ang mag-participate sa parliament election,” COMELEC Chairman, George Erwin Garcia, said.
COMELEC will conduct voters’ education in the region, especially that voters will use two ballots for the midterm and parliamentary polls.
"Dapat ma-explain kung ano ang gagawin…Bago ang makikita, bago ang proseso na ipapatupad natin dapat na maunawaan ng magsisilbi at mamamayan ang proseso kung anong technology ang gagamitin natin... Masisiguro natin na walang irregularities,” Garcia said.
COMELEC assured that it is ready for the parliamentary elections. The poll body will also focus on the training of teachers who will serve as electoral board members.
"Nakikita natin na handa sa hamon ang Bangsamoro government. Ang susunod na hihingin ng tulong yung pagtrain ng mga electoral board yung ating mga guro na sana maiwasan yung nangyari sa Cotabato City dati yung di pagsisilbi ng mga teachers wala kaming hinanda dahil kinilala natin yan na karapatan na hindi magsilbi,” Garcia added.
(With reports from Jestoni Jumamil, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao)