THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that preparations for the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) were under way as it marked its 86th anniversary on Saturday.
The Comelec was established through Commonwealth Act 607, which was approved on Aug. 22, 1940.
”Far more than a technical exercise, this is the Commission’s contribution to the peace process and to the establishment of genuine democratic governance in the Bangsamoro Region,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said in an anniversary message.
He added that the commission had already printed more than 2.3 million ballots for the elections, which have been postponed more than once.
The BARMM parliamentary elections will be followed by the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Nov. 2.
Garcia said that the upcoming electoral exercises aim to showcase the commission’s vision of enhancing the voting experience through elections that reflect the genuine will of the people.
Garcia cited the May 12, 2025 national and local elections, when, for the first time in the country’s history, internet voting was used by overseas Filipinos. The system was made available in 77 posts around the world and remained open for 30 days.
Garcia noted that more than 99 percent of election returns during the 2025 elections were transmitted to Comelec servers within hours after the closing of precincts.
The process, he said, was open to public scrutiny through source code reviews by various interest groups.
In the 2025 polls, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections remained accredited partners in safeguarding the vote, while local and foreign observers were welcomed, Garcia said.
He said the observers recognized greater transparency and a more consultative approach in the administration of the electoral process.
Garcia attributed the success to the collective efforts of dedicated Comelec personnel, as well as the vigilance of the Filipino people.
”Whatever the form of government, the role of a Commission on Elections is beyond question,” Garcia said, noting the authority of an elected leader comes from the trust placed in that leader by the people.
”For eighty-six years, the Commission on Elections has stood as the guardian of the Filipino vote,” he added.
The BARMM parliamentary polls are a historical electoral event because they will be the first regular election to determine the members of the Bangsamoro Parliament.
”Let us remain mindful of our role and of the weight of its importance,” Garcia said.
