Laying the groundwork for the first BARMM Parliamentary election

It has been said that an election is not only a test of a nation’s character but also a gauge of its governance system.

- SECRETARY CARLITO G. GALVEZ, JR.

The May 12 midterm election showed that the Philippines is underpinned by the principles of democracy, integrity, and respect for human rights.

In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the election was considered a critical turning point as well as a litmus test for its people, whose region and government were established just six years ago.

Amid incidents of violence in some parts of the BARMM, it is worth noting that there was no reported failure of elections in the area, which augurs well for the region as a whole. We hope that this positive trend continues.

We laud everyone who was responsible for ensuring the generally peaceful, orderly, and credible conduct of the elections in the region, particularly the Comelec, and the security sector led by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

Credit must also be given to members of civil society and the academe for helping to create a greater awareness among the people on the importance of the political exercise, while helping to protect the sanctity of the ballot.

We likewise commend the various peace mechanisms under the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Peace Panels, which helped ensure the safety and security of voters.