Bangsamoro Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun tackles the reserved seats for the sectoral representatives in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament during his Usapang Bangsamoro press conference in Cotabato City on May 27, 2024. (Marhom Ibrahim/BIO)
COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Government Spokesperson Mohd Asnin Pendatun on May 27 encouraged more sectoral representatives to participate in the upcoming 2025 regional parliamentary elections.
During Monday’s Usapang Bangsamoro press conference held at the Bangsamoro Government Center (BGC) here, Pendatun discussed the reserved seats for the region’s sectoral representatives in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament, as vested by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL)—the law responsible for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
This initiative is part of broader preparations for the first-ever regional parliamentary elections in BARMM.
Pendatun emphasized that the allotted seats for disadvantaged groups would pave the way for their representation in the regional legislature.
“Based on historical data and election experiences, these sectors usually hardly secure representation in the then-Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA); that’s why we make sure to afford them one, originating from their groups,” said Pendatun, who is also the Cabinet Secretary of the autonomous region.
Under Section 7 of Article VII, paragraph (c) of the BOL, these representatives shall constitute at least 10%—totaling eight seats—of the BTA Parliament, specifically: two seats each for the non-Moro indigenous peoples (NMIPs) and settler communities, and one seat each for women, youth, traditional leaders, and the Ulama.
To advance the rights of these sectors, the guidelines for the certification of the qualified sectoral representatives were released by the concerned BARMM agencies last week on various social media platforms, including the Bangsamoro Gazette website and Facebook page.
For the submission of documents, running from May 15 to June 7, 2024, interested group representatives may pass their applications, in person or via electronic mail, to the following offices:
NMIPs: Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MIPA)
Settler Communities: Office for Settler Communities (OSC)
Women: Bangsamoro Women Commission (BWC)
Youth: Bangsamoro Youth Commission (BYC)
Ulama: Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta’ (BDI)
Traditional Leaders: Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (BCPCH)
Among the requirements are notarized applications, attached Constitution and By-Laws (CBL), track records proving at least three legitimate advocacy projects, and a minimum of 50 members per group.
Specifically, the 50 members of the applying organizations for the BYC shall be registered voters, and those for the BWC shall be residents of the BARMM. No specific classifications are required for the remaining Bangsamoro entities.
Meanwhile, the BARMM Government, in collaboration with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and various civil society organizations, is prioritizing voter education and awareness to ensure a well-informed electorate for the 2025 parliamentary elections.
Efforts include the Bangsamoro Information Office’s (BIO) Halalang Bangsamoro campaign in disseminating information about the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC) and emphasizing the importance of voter registration.
The pioneering parliamentary elections are expected to happen in May 2025.
Evolving a strong, responsive, and relevant BARMM bureaucracy is the first priority agenda of CM Ebrahim. (Johamin Inok/BIO)
