LocationsConfusion to confidence: How voter education prepares communities for BARMM's first parliamentary elections
July 21, 2026
When a Grade 12 teacher from Marawi City, joined a voter education session, she voiced a question shared by many Bangsamoro voters: “I’ve been teaching civics for years, but this parliamentary system… paano ba talaga bumoboto dito (how do we actually vote)?”
While the Philippines retains its overarching presidential system, the regional establishment of a parliamentary form of government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) represents a unique devolution of executive and legislative powers. The regional transition from an appointed interim authority – the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) – to an elected parliamentary government, combined with repeated election postponements and evolving district configurations, created real uncertainty at the community level.
The first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections represent a historic democratic transition and a critical milestone in the broader peace process in BARMM, as part of the political-legislative track under the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro.
On 14 September 2026, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will hold its first parliamentary elections.
This transition is crucial. It operationalizes political commitments made under the peace agreement, strengthens the legitimacy of the Bangsamoro institutions, and signals a move from conflict management to democratic governance grounded in popular mandate.
But institutions alone cannot carry that transition. Citizens must understand how to participate meaningfully. On the ground, however, this political shift introduces new voting mechanics, leaving many citizens confused about the actual voting process.
Voters are asking practical questions: “Why is there a ‘None of the Above’ option? Why are some districts not voting? Are we voting for the Chief Minister directly? If I shade two circles, will my vote still count?”
Without clear and accessible information, these knowledge gaps increased the risk that misinformation and inaccurate explanations could spread through informal sources and social media.
Investing beyond the ballot box
In 2025, voter education activities began rolling out across BARMM, including those delivered by UNDP’s partner, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE). Across barangays, dozens of frequently asked questions (FAQs) reflected widespread confusion on district representation, sectoral seats, ballot design, and redistricting issues.
Under the Japan-funded and UNDP-implemented Elections Project with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), community-based voter education sessions directly reached more than 2,200 voters across BARMM’s provinces (Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi) and the Special Geographic Areas (SGAs). This initiative is intended to bridge the gap between the ideals of democracy and the citizens' ability to exercise their rights in practice.
LENTE’s pre-test assessment among voters’ education participants averaged 38 percent. This indicated that many participants joined the sessions with limited understanding of how the parliamentary ballot works.
At the same time, uncertainty around election timelines and the Supreme Court ruling on redistricting added layers of complexity. Communities were not only learning about a new parliamentary system but were also trying to make sense of a moving legal and political context.
For Donnah Velez, LENTE's Senior Administrative Officer and voter education facilitator, efforts to increase voters’ awareness are vital in supporting democratic participation in BARMM.
"In particular, people need knowledge about the new electoral process. They need to be informed and educated about what the parliamentary system of government is and how it is chosen – how people vote for it. The electoral process in BARMM is not the same as what they were used to under the ARMM."Donna, LENTE
Who gets to participate: inclusion as a driving force
The voter education sessions reflected the diversity of Bangsamoro society, bringing together women, youth, persons with disabilities, older persons, ulamas (religious leaders), traditional leaders, local leaders, and the non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (IP). The initiative prioritized sectors that are often left furthest behind and reinforced inclusive representation, ensuring that every voice can be counted in the ballot box.
Sessions were deliberately people-centered and practical. Moving beyond abstract lectures, facilitators demonstrated how to properly shade ballots, explained overvotes using real examples, clarified why voters do not directly elect the Chief Minister, and addressed misinformation about district allocations. In some sessions, representatives from the local COMELEC office were present to address questions, and participants were able to take part in mock elections using the actual voting machines.
Voter education participants undergo mock voting exercise using the actual counting machine, facilitated in partnership with local COMELEC offices.
For many participants, the sessions provided much-needed clarity.
Ahmad, a barangay councilor from Lamitan City in Basilan, shared after attending a session: “Ngayon malinaw na. Kapag dalawa ang na-shade ko para sa district representative, hindi pala mabibilang. Dati akala ko okay lang basta pareho ko silang gusto.” (“It’s clear to me now. If I shade two circles for the district representative, it won’t be counted. Before, I thought it was fine since I preferred both.”)
For Cath, a Teduray IP youth and a first-time voter, the upcoming election is her chance to help shape the future governance in the region. After participating in a voter education session, she cited the importance of understanding how leaders are elected, and how to think critically in deciding who to vote for.
As a first-time voter, Cath from Upi, Maguindanao del Norte, looks forward to the first BARMM parliamentary elections.
"I now understand the step-by-step process. I also learned how to assess candidates - how to ask the right questions and decide who to vote for. I’ll be more discerning about the person I choose."Cath, IP Youth
More than preparing for a vote, electoral literacy empower citizens
The transformative power of elections depends on an informed citizenry.
Across sessions, average pre-test knowledge scores increased from 38 percent to 70 percent in the post-test. This represented an 83 percent knowledge gain.
In some municipalities, the improvement was even more pronounced. In Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, post-test scores rose to 88 percent. In Marawi City sessions, gains reached as high as 98 percent. Among senior citizens in Cotabato City, post-test scores climbed to 95 percent.
Bai Norayda, who was invited by the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs in Cotabato City to join the voter education session, reflected:
“Marami sa amin ang first time makarinig ng malinaw na paliwanag tungkol sa parliamentary system. Ngayon kaya na naming ipaliwanag ito sa iba.” (“For many of us, this was the first time we heard a clear explanation of the parliamentary system. Now, we are able to explain it to others.”)
In Lanao del Sur, voter education participant Sarah spoke about the project’s efforts to reach and inform voters in far-flung and remote communities, where information about the parliamentary elections is often limited. She left fellow Bangsamoro voters a challenge: “Mag-research ka, mag-tanong ka sa marunong para alam mo kung ano o sino ang bobotohan mo.” (“Do your research, ask people who know so you understand what, or who, you’re voting for.”
On her way to a community center in rural Lanao del Sur, voter education participant Sarah walks along a quiet pathway to attend a voter's education session along with other women community members.
Beyond the numbers, the voter education sessions and facilitation approach created multipliers. Teachers, barangay officials, youth leaders, and ulamas left the sessions not just informed, but equipped to explain the system within their own networks.
By combining localized facilitation using the local language, uniform FAQs, coordination with local COMELEC officers, and targeted engagement of vulnerable sectors, complemented by efforts of partners on the ground closed information gaps in communities that are often hardest to reach.
From teachers in Marawi, to barangay officials in Basilan, to senior citizens in Cotabato City, the shift is visible: confusion is giving way to confidence.
A LENTE facilitator summarized it simply: “Hindi lang ito tungkol sa isang election date. Kahit ma-postpone pa, kailangan handa ang tao. Ang kaalaman hindi nawawala.” (“This is not just about a single election date. Even if it gets postponed, people still need to be prepared. Knowledge does not fade.”)
Even amid shifting timelines, one outcome is already clear: among the participants assessed, understanding of the parliamentary electoral process improved substantially after completing the voter’s education sessions. Clear, localized, targeted and practical voter education delivers immediate results where voters gain a better understanding of an unfamiliar electoral system.
With the election day approaching on 14 September 2026, the priority is to ensure that voters — especially those in remote and underserved communities — receive updated, accurate and accessible information. In BARMM’s democratic transition, informed participation does not simply end after preparing for the election day and when the ballots are counted; it is part of building public confidence in the institutions that will emerge from it beyond a single election cycle.
The Project for Raising Voters’ Awareness and Promoting Digitalization of the Electoral Process in Bangsamoro is funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
