A total of 108 international observers representing 16 organizations and foreign delegations are expected to oversee the conduct of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) first parliamentary elections, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).
The participating groups include representatives from the Embassy of the State of Palestine, The Asia Foundation, EU-Coordinated Diplomacy, Worldwide Lawyers Association (WOLAS), International Republican Institute (IRI), Chinese Embassy in Manila, IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT), Australian Embassy in the Philippines, British Embassy Manila, Digital Memory Association (Dijital Hafıza Derneği) of Türkiye, Embassy of Japan, Asian Network for Free Elections and National Democratic Institute (ANFREL/NDI), Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Philippines/Center for Liberalism and Democracy, Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT), and the International Jurists Union.
ANFREL/NDI will send the largest delegation, with 22 observers, followed by the Embassy of Japan with 17. EU-Coordinated Diplomacy and IRI will each have 14 participants.
Meanwhile, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Philippines/Center for Liberalism and Democracy, GNAT, and the International Jurists Union will each be represented by seven observers.
The international monitors are set to observe election activities in various areas, including Cotabato City, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, the Special Geographic Area, Marawi City in Lanao del Sur, Lamitan and Isabela in Basilan, Bongao in Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga City.
Their itinerary also includes visits to key election-related sites such as the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Regional Office and Command Center, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) Regional Command Center, OPAPRU Operation Center, Camp Awang, Camp Siongco, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology City Jail, and the Cotabato City Canvassing Center.
Presidential Adviser Mel Sarmiento said Saturday that the presence of foreign observers underscores the importance of the historic vote as the Bangsamoro region moves toward a new form of governance.
“This election is not simply about choosing leaders. It is about realizing the decades-long aspirations of the Bangsamoro people who have dreamed, worked and sacrificed a lot for peace, self-governance and a better future,” Sarmiento said.
The BARMM is scheduled to conduct its inaugural parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14, with voters choosing representatives for the 80 seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament.
The election represents a significant milestone in the region’s peace process, marking the transition from the interim administration led by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to a government chosen through elections.
Under the BARMM system, legislative authority rests with the Bangsamoro Parliament, while executive authority is exercised by the Chief Minister.
Judicial authority, meanwhile, remains with the Supreme Court and the Shari’ah and regular courts operating within the Bangsamoro territory as part of the Philippine judicial system.