THE people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) may, for the first time, directly elect their leaders in the 2025 Bangsamoro Parliament election in May, an event significant not only for the region but also on an international scale — even for Cebuanos.
“Barmm is not merely a regional concern but also a Mindanao issue, a national issue and an international issue,” emphasized Carolyn Arguillas, 2023 Luxembourg Peace Prize awardee for Outstanding Peace Journalism and special reports editor and head of Publications, Archives and Library of MindaNews, during a November 2024 Barmm study tour with Visayas journalists.
“Ang sakit ng kalingkingan ay sakit ng buong katawan (The pain of the pinky is the pain of the whole body),” she said, explaining that the struggle of one region, be it economically or in peace and order, affects the entire country.
Arguillas said a peaceful and stable Barmm would contribute to the overall stability of Mindanao. This is important for trade, security and regional development, even for the Visayas, home to more than 135,000 Muslims, and for Cebu City, home to a conservative estimate of 4,000 to 5,000 Muslim families originating from Barmm.
While not all Barmm residents are Muslim, the region is predominantly Islamic.
Meanwhile, National Commission for Muslim Filipinos Visayas director Onasis Balt hopes for a peaceful and successful Barmm election, should it proceed on May 12. He noted the tension between political parties, each fielding their supported candidates.
Personally, Balt would prefer that the President appoint Barmm leaders instead.
“As a Muslim constituent ng Barmm, nakikita ko ang pinakamagandang way is yung ang Presidente mismo ang mag appoint d’yan. Wala ng election… kasi less problem yung magiging kahihinatnan (As a Muslim constituent of Barmm, I see that the best way is for the President to make the appointments directly. No elections... because it would result in fewer problems),” he told VoxPop Cebu.
“Kasi ngayon, parang ang nakikita ko is bawat isang panig ng grupo is gusto nilang gamitin yung kanilang lakas para at least manalo sila this coming election. Malaking impact po ito (Because now, what I see is that each group seems to want to use their strength to ensure they win in the coming elections. This will have a significant impact),” he added.
Bangsamoro Region
The five-year-old Barmm, composed of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi, is a result of the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The region has been under a transitional government called the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, which serves as its interim government until elections can be held.
If the Barmm elections proceed next year, amid calls for deferment, the voters will elect 80 members of parliament, including 40 party representatives, 25 single-district representatives (minus seven from Sulu) and eight sectoral representatives, in addition to voting for local officials.
This will further solidify their autonomy.
Home to Muslims
Cebu, particularly Cebu City, has been home to thousands of Muslims for many years.
Cebuanos have witnessed several centralized Eid’l Fitr celebrations at Plaza Independencia, within the Police Regional Office in 7 along Osmeña Blvd. and in other public spaces in the city, as well as a Ramadan Night Market in March 2023.
These events highlighted the best of Muslim culture and products — a tribute to the Muslim community in the city and a testament to the City Government’s support for them.
Former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama, in an April 22, 2023 interview with the writer during an Eid’l Fitr celebration at Plaza Independencia, even said, “Cebu City is a place where Muslims and interfaith communities can come together,” adding that in Cebu, the Muslim community has been a vital partner in the city’s economic development and peacebuilding efforts.
According to Balt, the Visayas is home to over 135,000 Muslims, including “Balik Islam,” or Islamic converts, many of whom, if not all, have families in Barmm.
In a separate interview, Ijodin Mamacol, former executive director of the Office of Muslim Affairs in Cebu City, emphasized that while Cebu is geographically distant from Barmm, it is still affected by the Barmm parliamentary elections, as regional stability and peace and order are a collective concern for all Filipinos.
He said certain provisions in Barmm highlight the collaborative efforts between Barmm and the National Government toward rehabilitation and development, which requires participation from various cities across the Philippines, including Cebu City.
“You imagine gud kung naay gubot sa Barmm, apektado pod ta diri. Mo-migrate pod ang mga tawo sa Cebu City or ‘makisaka’ (evacuate). Luoy sad ang ubang mopahawa na lang sa Mindanao tungod sa kagubot and hasta diri sa Cebu City, maluoy pod bitaw ta nila (Just imagine, if there’s unrest in Barmm, we are also affected here. People might migrate to Cebu City or evacuate. We also feel sorry for those who are forced to leave Mindanao because of the conflict, and even here in Cebu City, we sympathize with them),” he said.
Calls for peaceful election
Meanwhile, amid calls to reset the Barmm elections, Balt urged the National Government to focus on the matter and give it serious attention, as this election in Barmm is crucial.
He expressed concern about how family ties among officials, the election climate and the political dynamics in Mindanao — particularly in Barmm — could influence the electoral process and impact communities.
“Isa po yan sa mga problema namin about election kasi unang-una, alam mo naman yung sitwasyon doon. Magkakamag-anak yan. So, lahat ng mga Barmm officials, including the top management like your ministers, eh lahat po yan, may mga kamag-anak po yan hindi lang dito sa Cebu, pati na rin sa Metro Manila, sa Luzon at Mindanao.
(That is one of our problems about the election because, first of all, you know the situation there. They are relatives. So, all the Barmm officials, including the top management like your ministers, all have relatives, not just here in Cebu, but also in Metro Manila, Luzon and Mindanao.)
He added that sometimes there is a “Rido,” a clan feud or retaliation, which could lead to conflicts occurring in Cebu, Manila, or other places outside Barmm.
Senate President Francis Escudero filed Senate Bill 2862, which proposes to move the elections from May 12 to May 11, 2026, to allow for the reconfiguration of jurisdictions and the reallocation of parliamentary seats following a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that removed Sulu from the Barmm.
“Longs for Sulu”
Moctar Disumangcop, communications officer of Camp Darapanan, said in an interview with the writer during a study tour visit to Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao on Nov. 20, that it pained them that Sulu had been excluded from Barmm, noting that they have always been part of the cause for the region’s autonomy.
“Yung mga kapatid natin sa Jolo (in Sulu), if I’m not mistaken, the Barmm government is still supporting them. Hindi po namin sila pwedeng pabayaan,” he said.
He added that the creation of Barmm has brought a positive impact on their economic development.
“Yun ang malaking deperensya. Hindi na tumatakbo ang kalaban. Hindi na rin kami tumatakbo sa bukid kasi andyan na sa lamesa ang away; professional na na away na (That’s the big difference. The opponent no longer runs. We also no longer run to the mountains because the fight is now at the table; it’s a professional kind of fight now),” he said.
Meanwhile, Arguillas, during her “Introduction to Barmm” presentation on the first night of the study tour, quoted Barmm Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun. She said the SC’s decision in Province of Sulu v. Executive Secretary, which excluded Sulu from Barmm, has significant legal, political and socio-economic implications.
Legally, Sulu reverts to the National Government’s framework, forfeiting Barmm’s autonomous control over its governance, resources and cultural institutions.
Politically, the province loses its representation in the Barmm Parliament, diminishing its voice in regional policymaking, and economically, Sulu would no longer benefit from Barmm’s block grants, potentially hindering the progress of development projects.
“Literally, blood, sweat and tears ang pinuhunan para magkaroon ng Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. That we should never forget,” Arguillas said.