The Birth of a New Electoral System in the Philippines: The Parliamentary Elections through the Bangsamoro Electoral Code
Assalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu!
Again, I would like to reiterate my commendation to the members of the Committee on Rules for steering the ship toward the enactment of this priority code that will be used as a basis when we conduct the first parliamentary elections in 2025.
Today is a Celebration of women's Month I particularly commend the power of the moro women to steward that had influenced a lot in helping steward the most challenging legislation of the Bangsamoro Parliament.
You know, I have a reflection and realization that while we celebrate the 30% inclusion of women in the allocated seats, my realization is that numbers alone do not determine the empowerment of our women the fact their competence, credibility, character and the special way of managing things with high detail yet with compassion makes them very effective and so may they be an inspiration to all the other bangsamoro women out there to strengthen their competence and improve their capacity and let that also be an inspiration to the Bangsamore government to continue to empower the women and the girls and provide opportunities for them for growth leadership and service.
Next to the enactment of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, this piece of legislation is a testament to our autonomy as we have crafted an elective process that tailor-fits our needs as a people with different ideologies but yearns for the same progressive future.
Though the process was tiring and long, we had to make sure that all policies are inclusive enough to enable “the conduct of a free, orderly, honest, peaceful, and credible elections, reflective of the genuine will of the electorate” and that the measures we present turn away from the usual popular personality-based politics and focus on a platform and ideology-based political party landscape that a parliamentary system offers.
That being said, we also need to make sure that our current policies are airtight and would consider every possible scenario.
On the final note, the heart of a parliamentary system is a free and open regional party system that will allow for the free choice by the people.
In conclusion, I am confident that with the collective wisdom of this Parliament, the Electoral code that we will be passing would be morally sound and legislatively complete as we are again pioneering change that even the National Government is still trying to pass and enact. By ensuring that the next elections will be the most inclusive and culturally shaped for the Bangsamoro, may we become champions of political development that all people long for in their own governments, locally and internationally.
with this again, I thank the revolutionaries and the Bangsamoro leaders and those who had sacrificed for us to be able to practice a more meaningful autonomy for the better welfare and futures of the bangsamoro people of other people in particular and the Filipino people in general, I vote a resounding yes.
Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidayah, Wassalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.