Manila — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is gearing up for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) starting Monday, marking a significant step toward the region’s first-ever parliamentary elections in May 2025. In preparation for this pivotal moment, President Bongbong Marcos recently met with BARMM provincial governors to strengthen collaboration with the national government and ensure a peaceful and credible election process.
The meeting, held at the Aguado Residence in Manila, underscored the government’s commitment to maintaining political stability in BARMM amid growing pre-election tensions. Key discussions focused on development challenges and highlighted the Supreme Court ruling that recently excluded Sulu from BARMM’s jurisdiction. Attended by four BARMM provincial governors and several gubernatorial aspirants, the session aimed to foster cooperation between local and national leaders.
As the filing period opens, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and law enforcement agencies have heightened security measures across BARMM. Comelec Chair George Garcia confirmed the deployment of additional Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) forces to ensure that the filing process remains orderly and secure. “We appeal to candidates to manage their supporters responsibly and help us maintain a peaceful and organized filing of COCs,” Garcia said in a radio interview.
The Comelec also announced that aside from COCs, regional parliamentary political parties in BARMM may file their List of Nominees and Certificates of Acceptance of Nomination during the November 4-9 filing period.
The Police Regional Office of BARMM (PRO BAR), under the leadership of Regional Director PBGEN Romeo J. Macapaz, remains on heightened alert to support the security of Comelec offices and personnel during the filing period. Security measures include crowd control, route security, and checkpoints at designated filing locations such as the COMELEC Provincial Offices and the Bangsamoro Government Center.
PBGEN Macapaz commended PRO BAR personnel and other law enforcement agencies for maintaining order during recent events and anticipates the same commitment throughout the candidacy filing. “Our priority is a peaceful and impartial election process. We urge the public to cooperate with security protocols to ensure everyone’s safety during this important stage in BARMM’s journey,” he said.
With 73 BARMM parliamentary seats at stake in May 2025, the filing period signals the beginning of an election season that could reshape the region’s political landscape. This election, coinciding with national and local elections across the country, is expected to be closely monitored as BARMM seeks to strengthen its governance and development goals.
