By Brian Jules Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed confidence that the first parliamentary election of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) next year will be successful.
In a speech during the BARMM Mayors’ Conference at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on Monday, President Marcos called on local chief executives to cooperate and ensure peaceful and orderly polls in the region.
“I am confident that the elections will be successful. And by successful, I mean that it will be peaceful. It will be accountable. It will be transparent, everything. All the things, ‘yong gusto natin sa eleksiyon na hindi magulo, maliwanag ang resulta, hindi nagkakaproblema,” he said.
The President said this might be difficult to achieve but the government is striving to make it “the most peaceful” election.
“But in any case, that is why I asked for all of you to come today, because we are in need of your help. We need for you to be part of the effort that we are putting together. To make the elections a success,” he added.
Meanwhile, Marcos urged stakeholders in Mindanao to seize the opportunity to further develop the region through unity and dialogue.
Citing the region’s potential, the Chief Executive said there are enterprises eyeing to do business in Mindanao which would generate employment and livelihood to local communities.
“All of these opportunities here now are available to us. It’s up to us to take advantage, to grab the opportunity. Huwag nating palampasin. The opportunity may never come back. But grab that opportunity now… The only way to do it is to work together and to understand one another,” Marcos said.
“Ang daming puwedeng gawin. There’s so much opportunity. And that is why very optimistic ako. Basta tayo, magsama-sama. Basta’t tayo’y nagkakaunawaan. Basta’t tayo’y may sistema na ayusin ang mga problema. Basta’t mayroon tayong ganyan at nagkakaintindihan tayo,” he continued. – iro
