MANILA - President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed confidence on Monday that the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be conducted honestly, peacefully, and in an orderly manner. His remarks came during the BARMM Mayors Conference held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila, where he called for the cooperation of local chief executives to ensure the success of the region’s first parliamentary elections next year.
According to Philippines News Agency, the goal is for the elections to embody transparency, accountability, and peace. "I am confident that the elections will be successful. And by successful, I mean that it will be peaceful. It will be accountable. It will be transparent, everything. All the things, 'yung gusto natin sa eleksyon na hindi magulo, maliwanag ang resulta, hindi nagkaka-problema (what we want in an election that is not chaotic, the result is clear, there are no problems)," Marcos stated.
The President also emphasized the importance of collective effort and collaboration among all stakeholders to seize developmental opportunities in Mindanao. He highlighted the interest of several companies looking to invest in the region and encouraged local leaders to leverage these opportunities for growth. "All of these opportunities here now are available to us. It's up to us to take advantage, to grab the opportunity," he urged.
The inaugural parliamentary elections for BARMM are set to occur simultaneously with the national midterm elections on May 12, 2025.