After long-awaited BARMM polls, voters look ahead with hope

• Voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao participated in a long-awaited parliamentary election on September 14, despite concerns over past violence and irregularities.
• While some voters expressed disappointment over issues like vote-buying and pre-shaded ballots, many were hopeful that the newly elected leaders would prioritize peace, transparency, and improved services for the Bangsamoro people.
• The election marked a significant milestone for the community, with citizens looking forward to a government that can deliver on its promises and foster inclusivity.

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COTABATO City, Philippines — Across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), voters went to the polls on Monday, September 14 carrying two things with them: the memory of how elections had gone before, and the hope that this one could be different.

The election had been delayed many times, but alias “Nanding,” a voter and election observer from Maguindanao del Norte, said he never lost hope that the Bangsamoro would finally have its own parliamentary vote.

“The fear and the need to be extremely cautious never go away because, based on my experience in previous elections, things have been very chaotic, and there has been a lot of violence… But I’m happy that the election finally pushed through,” he said.

At Barangay Rosary Heights IV in Cotabato City, alias “Cindy” arrived also expecting the worst, like many voters that day. With the tense atmosphere in the city, she thought her precinct would also become chaotic.

She was surprised to find the precinct calm and orderly, with the voting process taking only minutes. She was able to cast her ballot within minutes, despite expecting to spend much longer at the polling place.

“Honestly, it’s surprising that everything is going smoothly,” Cindy said in Tagalog. 

The calm inside the precinct did not ease Cindy’s concerns entirely. In fact, earlier that day, her family had urged her not to vote, but if she did, to go straight home after casting her ballot, especially after gunfire at Central Pilot Elementary School in Cotabato City killed one person and injured three others.

Cindy was not the only one who had second thoughts about going to the polls. For some voters, the reports of violence were enough to make them hesitate, especially those who had experienced or witnessed election-related violence in the past.

For instance, Inol Davao Shiekadato, a resident of Marawi City, shared that during the 2025 elections, she and her brother both fell into a drainage system after they panicked when they heard warning shots. 

“During the May 2025 elections, I accidentally fell into the drainage. That’s why I came late to vote this time. I was afraid the same thing might happen again,” Shiekadato said in Meranaw.

The experience initially left her afraid to return to the polls, but when BARMM’s long-delayed parliamentary election finally came, she was happy to cast her ballot.

“I cast my vote. We are so happy,” Shiekadato said in Meranaw. “And I wish that this is how we vote as Meranaws, and I pray to Allah that this will continue.”

A vote for what comes next

With the votes counted, the BARMM community is now looking ahead to what that future can look like for them.

In Cotabato City, alias “Loisa” said some of the representatives she voted for were elected and placed among the top. She felt neutral about the outcome, but was somewhat saddened that the political party she supported did not secure the top spot.

Still, she said the elected leaders reflected what she hoped to see in the new parliament, particularly based on their platforms.

She hopes they will improve the lives of Bangsamoro people, especially through better education and health services, while promoting peace in the region.

“Hopefully, they will keep in mind the goals they have set for the Bangsamoro people,” Loisa said in Tagalog.

For alias “Sittie” of Maguindanao del Norte, the outcome came with mixed emotions. Some of the candidates she voted for won, but the party she supported did not.

“I feel disappointed, knowing that there was so much vote-buying, especially in our area. In Maguindanao del Norte, there are still some places where their ballots were already pre-shaded,” Sittie shared in Tagalog. 

Election watchdogs National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) reported these irregularities during the election, including allegations of vote-buying, pre-shaded ballots, ballot secrecy violations, and other violations of voting procedures.

Rappler also received reports from sources in BARMM about alleged widespread vote-buying incidents.

Despite these concerns, Sittie said she was still glad that some of the leaders she believed deserved a seat made it to parliament.

“I’m happy that, somehow, the leaders whom I believe deserved to get a seat were elected. Somehow, the cheating did not prevail,” she added. 

She hopes the new parliament will uphold the principles its members campaigned for, particularly peace, transparency, and accountability.

“They had convictions and principles that they stood by when they were just starting their campaign, so I hope they hold on to those until the end of their service,” she said. 

Sittie also wants the new government to be more inclusive in delivering services and opportunities. She hopes public funds will be used responsibly, with greater transparency in government projects and more opportunities for employment.

For her, that should include helping constituents regardless of whom they supported during the election.

“I hope the elected leaders will be inclusive, and not withhold their support just because someone did not vote for them,” Sittie said. 

For voters across BARMM, the September 14 election was a long-awaited milestone. But with the ballots counted and the new parliament taking shape, their hopes now extend beyond the polls: toward a government that can deliver better services, uphold accountability, and help sustain peace in the Bangsamoro. – with reports from Abdul Hafiz Tacoranga Malawani, Angelle Matura, Izza Charisse Tacan, Zeina Ramirez/Rappler.com 

Abdul Hafiz Tacoranga Malawani is a campus journalist from Marawi City, Lanao del Sur studying Information Technology at Mindanao State University Marawi. He is the editor-in-chief of Mindanao Varsitarian and an Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow of Rappler for 2025.

Angelle Therese O. Matura was a senior feature writer for The Actidamean. She currently serves as auditor of the CAS Council Executive Board at Notre Dame University. She is also a Cotabato Mover.

Izza Charisse S. Tacan is a psychology student from Notre Dame University and editor-in-chief of The Actidamean. She is also a Cotabato Mover.

Zeina M. Ramirez is a writer at The Torch based in Sultan Kudarat. She is also a Cotabato Mover.