PWDs among first to get voters’ education training prep to BARMM 2025 polls
He said it was “a very noble effort” in including the PWDs and empowering them for the upcoming elections.
For Gian, life must go on as he is obliged to feed and raise his five children.
Rohaina Samad, a sari-sari store vendor from Pikit, Cotabato, during the voters’ education lecture. MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH CABRERA
“We are so glad we are given priority to learn the differences between the usual elections and the election for the BARMM Parliament,” said Rohaina Samad, a sari-sari store vendor from Pikit, Cotabato and mother of one child. She has disability in her left eye.[]
The voters’ education initiative is led by the Mindanao Organization for Social and Economic Progress Inc. (MOSEP) with the support of The Asia Foundation, UK Government and the Bangsamoro Government.
Mariam Ali, program manager of MOSEP, noted that the PWDs are “the usual victims of disenfranchisement” during elections as there is very little support for their access to polling places.[]
She said they are asking the Bangsamoro Electoral Office if they can implement emergency access to polling places for PWDs in the upcoming elections.
“The outcome of this election in BARMM would be an attempt to let the national government to look into the possibility of Federalism,” said Misuari Abdullah, program manager at The Asia Foundation.
He said it is also the time for the majority of Filipinos to understand how parliamentary elections work compared to the usual local and national elections.
A total of 80 seats will be contested in the 2025 Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
Persons with disabilities listen to a lecture on the 2025 Bangsamoro Parliament in Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur on Tuesday (12 December 2023). MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH CABRERA
Half of the seats, or 40, shall be representatives of political parties elected through a system of proportional representation, and 40 percent (32 seats) shall be elected from single member districts.
The Bangsamoro parliamentary districts, which are independent from the congressional districts, are yet to be constituted.
The remaining eight seats are for sectoral representatives—two for non-Moro indigenous peoples, two for settler communities, one each for women, youth, traditional leaders and Ulama. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
