President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday assured the Bangsamoro people that the government will do everything within its mandate to ensure the “safe, peaceful, and credible” conduct of the inaugural parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Sept. 14.
Marcos made the assurance as he led the opening of the 2026 National Peace Consciousness Month, emphasizing his administration’s full support for the historic democratic exercise despite several postponements of the elections.
“We are prepared for the first Parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on September 14,” Marcos said.
“Be assured that this Administration will do everything within our mandate to ensure that the elections are safe, peaceful, and credible. We will protect the right of every Bangsamoro voter to cast a ballot freely and without fear,” he added.
Marcos said the future of the BARMM would be shaped by the Bangsamoro people through their voices, choices and aspirations for the region.
He described the first regular parliamentary elections as a crucial step in the region’s transition to a more permanent autonomous government.
The President also said the polls form part of the continuing peace process in Mindanao, as the country commemorates the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
He described the agreement as a landmark achievement born of the aspirations, struggles and sacrifices of MNLF members, as well as the shared resolve to build lasting peace in Mindanao.
“We honor all who chose dialogue over division, all of those who worked, often quietly and patiently, to make peace a lived reality in Mindanao,” Marcos said.
“Our work is not yet finished. Three decades later, the Agreement remains as a continuing covenant to pursue justice, dignity, and self-determination through peaceful means. In the coming days, we have another opportunity to show that the gains of peace can be strengthened through democratic institutions,” he added.
Marcos also underscored the significance of the 1986 “Sipat,” or Mount Data Peace Accord with the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA), whose 40th anniversary is being commemorated this year.
The Philippine government and the CBA-CPLA signed the Mount Data Peace Accord on Sept. 15, 1986, formalizing a ceasefire between the two parties.
Marcos said these milestones demonstrate that peace requires responsibility and must be “chosen, lived, protected, and strengthened every single day.”
“The Accord showed that even longstanding differences can be bridged through dialogue and a shared commitment to uplift our communities,” he said.
Marcos said the signing of the fulfillment agreement with the CBA-CPLA would pave the way for the end of armed hostilities in the Cordillera.
“We will continue to support the Cordillera’s aspirations for autonomy and ensure that peace continues to translate into development and opportunity,” he said.
Spearheaded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month celebration carries the theme, “Kapayapaan Pagtibayin, Kaunlaran Paigtingin” (Strengthen Peace, Intensify Development), highlighting the vital link between lasting peace and sustainable development. (PNA)