Nearly 200 international observers are on the ground for the first BARMM parliamentary elections, and the governments and organizations they represent have pledged to continue supporting the Bangsamoro region well beyond election day.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Presidential Assistant and Undersecretary Noel Baraceros made the disclosure in an interview on DZRH News program The Situation Report on Monday, September 14.
Baraceros described the level of international engagement in the historic elections as a strong vote of confidence in the Bangsamoro peace process. He said the government is encouraged not just by the presence of observers but by what their presence signals about the international community’s sustained commitment to Bangsamoro development.
“Ang tinitingnan din po natin dito is, again, meron po tayong more than 100, almost 200 na mga international observers. And napakaganda po. Ang ibig sabihin po nito is meron po silang interest talaga dito sa Bangsamoro Region, and marami na rin po sa kanila ay kasalukuyang tumutulong, and ang iba po ay nangakong ipagpapatuloy nila ang pagtulong,” Baraceros said.
The presidential assistant said Japan’s continued engagement is particularly notable, with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) already funding infrastructure, livelihood programs, and normalization-related activities in the Bangsamoro region, and having reaffirmed those commitments in a meeting with the OPAPRU the day before election day.
“Dito po, marami na po silang tinutulong, actually with the ongoing efforts natin doon sa normalization. For example, ang pag-collect po ng small arms and light weapons, ang pagtulong po sa infrastructure, mga kalsada at bridges through JICA, and even ang mga livelihood programs. So nangako po sila na tutulong po sila dito,” Baraceros said.
Baraceros said the Mindanao Development Authority is also being engaged to ensure BARMM’s development is connected to the broader Mindanao and national development agenda.
“Pati na rin po kausap na rin po ng OPAPRU ang Mindanao Development Authority, kasi ang Bangsamoro po is part ng overall island ng Mindanao. So kailangan ang programa rin po nila ma-i-consider sa overall development ng not just the BARMM region, but the whole of Mindanao, and of course ikakabit na po natin sa development ng ating buong bansa,” the presidential assistant said.
