(Position paper on Senate Bill 1587 and House Bill No. 7236 titled “No to revocation of settler communities’ certification! No to disenfranchisemnt of reserved seats for marginalized sectors.  Fulfill the promise of inclusive BARMM” read by lawyer Mary Ann Arnado, former Member of Parliament in the Bangsmoro Transition Period, representing settlers, at the joint hearing of the Senates Committee on Local Government, Electoral Reforms, and Finance on 5 February 2026).

Allow me to present the position paper of the settler communities, because we are directly affected with the revocation of the sectoral accreditation. 

The settler community sector, predominantly Christians, is a marginalized minority in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. This is the reason why the framers of the Bangsamoro Organic Law made sure that the settler communities will have a voice and equitable representation in the Bangsamoro Parliament with concomitant rights to freely choose their own representatives.

We used to be at the sidelines, silent and subservient to the affairs of the regional government. We dared not speak nor participate out of fear and indifference. We used to believe that our participation would not change anything, so that silence became our refuge and our way to survive and thrive.

But all these have radically changed after the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and the establishment of the BARMM. For the first time in the history of the Bangsamoro, settler communities are afforded reserved seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament. Our voices and participation in governance and access to various programs have dramatically improved within an inclusive BARMM.

In 2024, we started to convene and organize ourselves to be able to participate in choosing our sectoral representatives. Now we are gaining strength, we are no longer alone and left to ourselves. We are now moving united with various settler communities from as far as Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and mainland Maguindanao, Lanao, SGA and Cotabato.

We also stand in solidarity with other marginalized sectors like women, youth, ulama, traditional leaders and non-Moro indigenous peoples in the truest essence of dialogue, of life and faith. 

After we’ve diligently followed all required processes and submitted the necessary documents, the Office for Settler Communities certified around 268 settler communities organizations who have successfully established verifiable track record in serving the needs and promoting the welfare of settlers. 

After securing our certification in the months leading to the May 2025 election, we decided to submit all necessary documents and undergo the rigorous and time-sensitive accreditation processes with the Comelec.

The process was tedious, the fees prohibitive and the legal requisites to qualify for accreditation too technical for grassroots organization who have little access to legal services. Yet we persisted and followed the process, emboldened by the faith that this time it is different. Government and the MILF are in transition and mutually implementing genuine electoral and political reforms.

We will have a fair chance. This is worth fighting for. 

Last January 28, 2026, we were shocked, dismayed and disgusted that the BTA Parliament amended the Bangsamoro Electoral Code which arbitrarily revoked the certification of all sectoral organizations, including the settler communities.

By sheer legislative action and without any consultation, the BTA took the hopes of thousands of Christian settlers in the BARMM. The BTA literally cancelled our much cherished certification and is requiring us to start anew. 

Making matters worse, the BTA Parliament changed the manner of election for the sectors from sectoral assemblies to direct plurality of valid votes cast for the respective sector.

Under the BEC, the shift to popular automated election for sectoral representative is contingent upon the prior establishment of a special registration of sectoral voters pursuant to section 2, article 10 of the BEC, because it’s very difficult to determine who will be voting for the sector. So right now, the Parliament changed the manner of election to direct plurality of votes and that will practically take away the reserved seats for the marginalized sectors and leave us all at the mercy of the majority who can now dictate who will be representing the settlers in the Parliament. 

It is in effect foreclosing the parliamentary seats reserved for settlers under the organic law.

It is called reserved precisely because there is no way Christians will be able to compete with the majority in a popular election. We are no strangers to the election in the Philippines, especially in the BARMM. Instead of the promised electoral reform, this will slide back to the usual ways.

Therefore, we are elevating our appeal to the Senate to help us secure what is rightfully reserved for the marginalized sector. Give to the women what is due for the women, give to the youth what is reserved for them, and give to the Christian settlers what is due to us. 

We also appeal to President Bongbong Marcos to please protect us settler communities and marginalized sectors in the BARMM.

We pray that the marginalized sectors, including the Christian settlers, will be unified, strengthened and empowered and meaningfully take part in making the BARMM an inclusive, just, peaceful, and prosperous homeland for diverse peoples and cultures.