QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The government’s move to postpone the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is seen as a crucial step toward ensuring lasting peace and economic stability in Mindanao.
Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. welcomed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s request to the Senate to fast-track legislation rescheduling the elections, emphasizing its significance in sustaining the Bangsamoro peace process.
Consultations by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) show overwhelming support for delaying the elections. This adjustment allows time to amend key legal frameworks, such as the Electoral and Local Government Codes, following the Supreme Court’s ruling that excludes Sulu from BARMM. Without these modifications, thousands of Sulu voters could be disenfranchised.
Senator Joseph Victor (JV) Ejercito, chair of Senate Committee on Local Government, highlighted that postponing the elections will strengthen governance structures, attract investments, and boost job creation in the region. “Now that we have already experienced relative peace in Mindanao, now is the time for us to concentrate on putting the different instruments, different factors that are needed for development,” he stated.
The Senate and House of Representatives are deliberating different proposed timelines for the elections, with a final decision expected soon. If approved, the postponement will provide both the national and Bangsamoro governments more time to refine policies and ensure a smooth transition to a fully functional parliamentary system.
For many Filipinos, particularly in Mindanao, resetting the elections is not a setback but an opportunity to strengthen peace and governance. By prioritizing long-term stability, the government is laying the groundwork for a more prosperous and inclusive Bangsamoro region, benefiting the entire nation. (AVS / PIA-NCR / Photo by OPAPRU)
