MANILA (July 14) — With the first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections only two months away, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has enlisted five State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to help educate voters ahead of the landmark polls.
Comelec said the universities will play a key role in helping residents understand how the new parliamentary system works, calling voter education essential as BARMM prepares for an election unlike any previously held in the country.
Under Resolution No. 11249, the poll body deputized Mindanao State University and its Marawi, Maguindanao, and Tawi-Tawi campuses, along with Cotabato State University, Upi Agricultural School, Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College, and Basilan State College to support its voter education campaign.
“The commission finds it necessary to enlist the assistance of SUCs… to broaden the reach and effectiveness of its voter education programs in preparation for the BPE,” Comelec said.
The schools will host Comelec-led seminars, forums, orientations, lectures, and information campaigns, while providing venues, equipment, and logistical support free of charge. The commission said more educational institutions and government agencies may be deputized if needed.
World watching BARMM polls
Comelec is also preparing for a strong presence of local and international election observers during the September elections, highlighting global interest in the country’s first parliamentary vote.
“We want to show the whole world that the Bangsamoro elections are different. This election is special—the first parliamentary elections in the country,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.
Under Resolution No. 11247, government agencies and civil society organizations may apply for accreditation as election observers until August 15, 2026.
Comelec said accredited observers will be allowed to monitor various stages of the electoral process, helping promote transparency and public confidence in the historic exercise.
The Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections will usher in the region’s first elected Parliament under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, making voter education and independent election monitoring crucial to the success of BARMM’s democratic transition.
