Several participants from different sectors participate in the community forum on the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC) hosted by Office of Member of Parliament Mohagher Iqbal on August 6 in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. (Comenei Ali/BIO)
SULTAN KUDARAT – As the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) prepare for its inaugural parliamentary elections in 2025, the regional government is ramping up its voter education efforts. This includes a series of community forums on the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 35, also known as the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC).
BEC’s Implementing Rules and Regulations, which was officially promulgated by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on April 17, 2024, outlines of the structural, functional, and procedural principles of the elections, referenda, and recall proceedings in the BARMM.
The forums aim to engage a wide range of participants from different sectors, including the academe, women, youth, former combatants, and indigenous peoples, among others.
On August 6, the Office of Member of Parliament (MP) Mohagher Iqbal hosted a Bangsamoro Community Forum in BLMI Training Center in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. This is part of the ongoing voters’ education campaign to raise awareness on the salient provisions of the BEC, which was enacted on March 8, 2024.
“They have to be apprised kung ano yung mga makikita nila sa balota next year because this is a unique election. First time natin gagawin yung Bangsamoro parliamentary elections and there are specific rules na hindi pa nila na-experience in the previous elections and they need to be aware of those,” emphasized Atty. Jamaira Nagamoro, member of the BARMM Speakers Bureau on BEC.
[They have to be apprised of what can be seen on the ballot, because this is a unique election. It’s our first time to conduct this Bangsamoro parliamentary elections and there are specific rules that they have not experienced in the previous elections and they need to be aware of those.]
Meanwhile, Shiekh Habib Usman, executive director of Youth Volunteers for Charity Services Inc. (YVCSi), shared the Islamic perspective on politics, citing the importance of choosing the right leaders who will steer the Bangsamoro toward a progressive future.
“Hindi natin maiihihiwalay ang Islam sa pulitika. Ang lider na may takot kay Allah (SWT) ay di kayang ilugmok ang BARMM sapagkat malaki ang kanilang pananagutan,” he said.
[We cannot separate Islam from politics. A leader who fears Allah (SWT) will never harm the BARMM because he has great accountability to uphold.]
Fatma Mustapha, a resident of Talayan, Maguindanao del Sur, expressed her gratitude for the initiative, noting how it will aid in cascading BEC to her community.
“Maraming salamat kasi may ganito. Naa-aware yung mga nasa malalayong lugar kung saan wala gaanong access sa news at social media. Pwede nilang madala sa kanilang mga komunidad yung natutunan nila dito para mas ma-aware din ang kanilang mga pamilya,” she shared.
[Thank you so much for having activities like this. It informs those in remote areas with limited access to news and social media. They can share what they learned here with their communities and families.]
The first ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will take place in May 2025, alongside the national and local elections.
Successive BEC awareness campaigns are anticipated to be conducted by various BARMM offices and agencies over the coming months to ensure optimized voters’ participation in the electoral process.
Ensuring an educated electorate leads to more informed voting decisions, which is vital for shaping the future of the Bangsamoro region. (Bai Omairah Yusop/BIO)
