BFP, UBJP Lead BARMM Polls in Historic First Parliamentary Elections

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the southern Philippines is holding its historic first parliamentary elections. As of 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, with 98.4% of election returns processed, the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) and the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) are leading the partial and unofficial count. The BFP has garnered 660,464 votes, while the UBJP obtained 609,078 votes. These two parties are expected to secure the majority of seats in the regional parliament. Thirteen registered political parties are vying for 40 seats in the regional parliament. Each party needs to secure at least 2.5% of the total valid votes to qualify for proportional distribution of seats. According to data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the counting is nearly complete, with only 83 election results pending. Approximately 80% of registered voters participated in the elections, indicating a high level of public engagement in the region's politics. The election results are expected to significantly impact the stability of the regional government and its future policy direction. Winners for the regional government, including regional political parties and sectoral representatives (for women, youth, Ulama, and traditional leaders), are scheduled to be proclaimed on Tuesday evening. This election marks the first parliamentary election since the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Transitional Government (BTA) in 2019. It is considered a crucial step towards strengthening BARMM's autonomy and advancing peace-building efforts. The likely victory of the BFP and UBJP suggests a continuation of the existing political forces, though the performance of other parties and the representation of minority voices in future regional policies will also be closely watched.