A TOP Mindanao academic has urged the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (Barmm) first elected leaders to move beyond political factionalism and build a common vision for the region.
Christopher Ryan Maboloc, an associate professor at Ateneo de Davao University and researcher in philosophy and the social sciences, said the newly elected Bangsamoro leaders face the challenge of building trust and finding common ground among political groups with different histories and interests.
Speaking at the Habi at Kape media forum earlier, Maboloc said political divisions shaped by the Bangsamoro’s long struggle for autonomy should not prevent its leaders from pursuing common goals.
“The Barmm should be seen beyond factionalism,” Maboloc said. “As I see it, about their common history, their common identity, whether you are with the Left, MILF, or whether you belong to the indigenous communities there, what you need to consider is that there is a common vision for everyone. We need the Bangsamoro region, whether you're Muslim or Christian.”
His remarks came days after the Sept. 14 parliamentary elections, in which voters elected all 80 members of the Bangsamoro Parliament for the first time.
No single political party won the 41 seats needed for a majority, making coalition-building a key issue before the lawmakers assume office.
The Bangsamoro Federalist Party, led by incumbent Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, won 31 seats, including 16 regional party seats and 15 district seats.
The United Bangsamoro Justice Party, the political party associated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, secured 30 seats, including 15 party seats, nine district seats, and six sectoral seats.
The Barmm Grand Coalition won 15 seats, while the Raayat Democratic Party and Pro-Bangsamoro Party each secured one seat. Two seats went to representatives of the Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples sector.
The BFP therefore needs at least 10 additional votes to reach a majority, while the UBJP needs 11.
Political groups have begun discussions on possible coalitions, with the eventual alliances expected to shape the leadership of the incoming government.
For Maboloc, however, forming a coalition should not be reduced to a contest for political numbers.
“I understand the historical context with regard to that question, but the Barmm should be seen beyond factionalism,” he said.
First elected government
The first parliamentary elections mark a major milestone in the Bangsamoro peace process.
The Bangsamoro Transition Authority, whose members were appointed by the national government, has governed the region since Barmm was created in 2019.
The 80 elected members will assume office at noon on Oct. 30, when the transition period formally ends. They will then organize the regular Parliament, elect the chief minister, and begin exercising the legislative and oversight powers provided under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, or Republic Act 11054.
Unlike in presidential and local elections, voters did not directly elect the chief minister.
Under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the chief minister will be elected by the 80 members of Parliament. A candidate needs at least 41 votes, or a majority of the entire Parliament. If no candidate secures the required majority in the first round, the top two candidates will face a runoff.
The coming parliamentary session will therefore be significant as the first elected government emerges not only from election results but also from negotiations among lawmakers.
Maboloc said the shift from appointed officials to elected politicians could change how regional autonomy is exercised, although political interests will inevitably influence how the new government is formed.
“Well, it depends on what happens and who becomes Chief Minister. These are politicians, too. We have national politicians; the President also has his interests. Mindanao has some interests; Barmm also has its interests. The Chief Minister, I suppose, and the people behind him also have their own interests.”
He said those interests should ultimately remain within the legal framework governing the autonomous region.
“So ultimately, these politicians will decide based on their interests, hopefully guided by the law that has established the Barmm. Ultimately, they are politicians, so they will be working within a set of interests, and hopefully guided by basic principles and fairness to do good for everyone—meaning inclusive development and ultimately creating a silent, peaceful, and productive Bangsamoro, not only in Mindanao.”
Governance challenge
The scale of participation in the Sept. 14 elections also underscored the importance of the transition.
The Commission on Elections’ Regional Board of Canvassers recorded 2,018,478 voters, representing an 84.34 percent turnout. The 80 lawmakers were formally proclaimed shortly after midnight on Sept. 16 at the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
The Parliament consists of 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. The sectoral seats represent settler communities, Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, traditional leaders and ulama.
For Maboloc, the election offers an opportunity to move beyond a politics defined primarily by the histories of individual movements.
He said the success of the new political system will depend on governance and the ability of its leaders to work together.
“That is the major challenge: governance. Ultimately, if and when these leaders come together and get to be united under a common vision, I think they will be able to erase that kind of prejudice against Mindanao.”
Maboloc said the transition could also influence how Mindanao is perceived outside the region, particularly after decades in which conflict and political instability have shaped national discussions about the island.
“Mindanao suffers from this kind of prejudice concocted by people who don't understand its history. Like some academics who do survey tables without understanding the context. The thing here is that we need to correct that. Former presidents have already rectified historical injustices in Mindanao by pursuing and promoting peace-building and development in the region.”
He said the region now has an opportunity to demonstrate that autonomy can work through democratic institutions and that political differences can be managed through parliamentary processes.
“The idea here is that now is the time for them to be able to say that we can determine our own destiny. The kind of leadership that we possess right now is an opportunity for them because through democratic processes, they are choosing their leaders despite all the issues and problems.”
The election was not without reported incidents. Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia described the elections as generally peaceful but acknowledged incidents including gunfire near a school in Cotabato City, a firefight in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, voter blocking in Al-Barka, Basilan, and alleged ballot pre-shading in Maluso, Basilan.
For Maboloc, the next stage must go beyond determining who controls Parliament.
“So in that regard, the bigger challenge on the part of the Bangsamoro is to go beyond the political question and become part of participatory democratic processes. To ensure that all people in the region can contribute—not only in terms of how they plan and decide, but in terms of how they act and decide in that respect. To respond to any challenges in today's society. That is the challenge of the Bangsamoro.”
Finding common ground
With the BFP and UBJP separated by one seat and neither holding a majority, alliances will be necessary before Parliament can fully organize itself.
Maboloc said political groups must find a way to work together despite their differences.
“Of course, the Bangsamoro, especially the political parties, they actually once gave their lives for their pursuit of trying to build a society. Part of the challenge is to come together despite differences. Ultimately, there is something that should bind them as a people—an identity here in Mindanao. There is no ‘MNLF Mindanao’ or ‘MILF Mindanao’; it is Muslim Mindanao. And that actually includes not only Muslims in Mindanao, but the whole nation.”
The first elected Parliament will assume office Oct. 30, with the election of the chief minister among its first major tasks. It will also pass regional laws, approve the Bangsamoro government’s budget and oversee the executive branch.
For Maboloc, what happens inside the chamber could become a measure not only of the Bangsamoro’s political transition but also of how democratic autonomy works in practice.
“Whatever happens in the Bangsamoro is also reflective of what becomes of this country. So if the country, for instance, has a problem with governance, that can also be reflected in BARMM. BARMM is simply an example of the kind of leadership that they will choose.”
“Now is the time, through a successful election, that they can finally decide the kind of life that they want to live as autonomous regions.” DEF
