COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The main challenge for the Bangsamoro region’s first parliamentary elections in September is ensuring true and genuine representation of long-suppressed minorities, leaders and experts representing women and non-Moro indigenous peoples said on June 9 during Rappler’s voter empowerment forum in Cotabato City.

“Just because we are the minority does not mean that we are the sacrificial lambs in this peace process,” said Edward Abelardo, chair of the Non-Moro Indigenous People’s Youth Network, during the forum held at Notre Dame University (NDU).

Take, for example, the challenge to true representation of women among nominees of political parties to the Bangsamoro Parliament. Jennevie Cornelio, a member of the Inged Fintalian or Indigenous Women’s Council of the Teduray and Lambangian tribes, pointed to provisions in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and its amendment, Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 88, that she said are concerning.

The law requires regional political parties to ensure that at least 30% of their nominees are women and that one in every three nominees is a woman, but it adds that this should be done “as far as practicable.”

Based on Rappler’s review of party nominee lists, few women appear in the top 10 positions of major parties. In the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) and the Bangsamoro Federal Party (BFP), for example, female nominees are ranked 11th or lower.

The ranking suggests that, despite legal requirements, women remain underrepresented in positions most likely to secure seats. Cornelio said this reflects a gap between policy and practice, particularly for non-Moro indigenous women.

In the two parties, 12 of 40 nominees are women, meeting the electoral code’s minimum requirement. However, most female nominees are placed outside the top 10, reducing their chances of being elected compared with their male counterparts.

Genuine representation and inclusivity has been the call of youth, women, and non-Moro indigenous peoples in BARMM, which was why they lobbied for the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), alongside the broader regional populace.

Yet, in the years since the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority in 2019, many of these groups argue that their pressing concerns—such as meaningful political inclusion, equitable representation in decision-making bodies, land and ancestral domain issues, and access to basic services—remain insufficiently addressed by those tasked to represent them.

The BOL, which lays out the basic governance framework of the region, reserves 8 seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament for minority and sectoral groups—the law’s way of ensuring they are represented in the regional government. Non-Moro indigenous peoples and settler communities are each given two seats. Youth, women, ulama, and traditional leaders get one seat each.

In the upcoming September elections, all Bangsamoro voters will get to vote for the candidates running for all of these seats, except for the reserved seats for NMIP. The election of these two NMIP representatives will be done through a separate inter-tribal voting process.

Representation and justice come hand-in-hand

During the forum, Abelardo emphasized that true representation of BARMM minorities is also a matter of justice and ending the cycle of violence and marginalization. 

“We have this autonomous region because we struggled for [autonomy], right? We are victims of historical injustices, so we have to make sure that, having this government, we should not create another layer of historical injustices [for] our minorities. It does not mean that, [now that] we are the majority, we create another layer of oppression [for] our minorities,” said Abelardo.

Displacement of IP groups and violence over claims to their ancestral lands has been a constant cause of violence in the region. True representation of non-Moro IP groups in the Bangsamoro Parliament would mean steps forward in addressing this tension. At the very least, their election could deescalate the situation. That opportunity would be lost if minority groups felt the parliamentary elections failed at giving their representatives real and meaningful power.

“These people should not just talk about the ancestral domains in order to get the votes of the non-Moro indigenous people; it should be transcended into a reality that this government seriously issues and acknowledges the rights of the non-Moro indigenous people. People in the Bangsamoro region,” said Abelardo.

Abelardo emphasized that at the end of the day, without the settlers, NMIPs, and other minorities, the region cannot become an inclusive society. 

“Sino nga ba ang seryosong dadala ng agenda ng katutubo, ng mga migrant settler, at ang mga isyu ng community? ” Cornelio asked.  (Who is truly serious about carrying the agenda of indigenous peoples, migrant settlers, and the issues of the community?)

One unique way the Bangsamoro Electoral Code seeks to address longstanding problems in Philippine politics is by penalizing turncoatism, or the practice of switching political parties for personal gain rather than out of genuine ideological conviction.

Under the code, a party representative forfeits their seat in Parliament if they change political parties during their term. A representative who switches parties within six months before an election is also barred from becoming a nominee of the new party or organization.

The provision has yet to be tested.

Ending ‘crayon politics’

These challenges to inclusivity and representation are compounded by the dominance of political dynasties and patronage politics in BARMM. It is common for voters to assess candidates based on family ties and political loyalty instead of substantive platforms that would truly move our region forward, said forum panelists. 

Apollo Isidro Valensoy Jr., a social sciences professor at NDU in the panel, explained, “Some analysts would describe it as ‘crayon politics’…. So, meaning to say, we are a fragmented electorate, divided into rival camps, supporting individual leaders. Our politics is personality-driven, rather than issue-based politics…. And they vote on popularity and patronage instead of platforms and policies. So it’s important that we are informed and our decisions are evidence-based so we will know who is truly worthy of our vote.” 

The term “crayon politics” refers to the tendency of voters to support candidates based on their color, branding or popularity rather than their platform or ideology.

Abelardo and Saudi Hanapi Daud, a desk editor at S’bang Ka Mindanao, said they were concerned that patronage politics could result in the election of youth representatives who do not genuinely advance the interests of young people. They urged Bangsamoro voters to elect candidates who represent the youth and whose platforms reflect their concerns.

The speakers said meaningful representation and inclusivity require leaders with “malasakit” – a strong commitment to public service and an understanding of the needs of Bangsamoro’s diverse communities. They pointed to limited access to education, healthcare and livelihood programs, particularly in remote areas, and said policies risk remaining disconnected from conditions on the ground if elected officials do not understand the concerns of marginalized sectors.

“Elections are not [merely] political contests. They are often intertwined with our historical, social, economic, and security issues that have accumulated over generations,” Valensoy said.

As the BARMM prepares for its first parliamentary elections on September 14, other resource persons at the voter empowerment forum said representation of marginalized sectors is crucial.

Commission on Elections spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, NDBC station manager Drema Quitayen-Bravo, ALHTAR member Neil John Martin and NDU professor Abdulnasser Bangundang called on voters to make a contribution, or “ambag,” to ensure a successful and representative election.

“Gamitin natin yung papel natin dahil sagrado ang ating boto para sa mga karapatdapat na leader sa Bangsamoro,” said Cornelio. (Let us perform our role because our vote is sacred so we will have truly deserving leaders in the Bangsamoro.)

For the region’s minority groups, the parliamentary elections will be a crucial test: will their voices finally be amplified, or will they remain muted? – Rappler.com 

Angelle Matura and Izza Tacan are Movers trained by Rappler during workshops held in Cotabato City. They are student journalists based in the Bangsamoro region.