Oxfam Pilipinas expresses grave concern over the postponement of the BARMM Parliamentary Elections, recognizing that it risks setting back the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process and delaying the Bangsamoro people’s exercise of their democratic rights.

The right to choose one’s representatives is essential to any democracy, yet once again, the Bangsamoro people face delays in realizing their rights. 

With every delay, confidence in the peace process and in the promise of genuine self-determination weakens—and the voices and rights of the most vulnerable and historically marginalized remain unrecognized, their future left uncertain.

For women, this means another barrier to equal representation.

For the youth, another lost opportunity to decide on their future.

For Indigenous Peoples, another reminder that the realization of their rights remains fragile and negotiable.

But the Bangsamoro people deserve to exercise their rights now. 

They deserve accountable leaders who represent them with transparency

They deserve the future promised through the peace process.

We call on the national government, the COMELEC, and all relevant institutions to immediately resolve outstanding issues and set a firm, transparent, and definitive date for the elections without further delay.

We remain steadfast in supporting our partners in upholding the hard-won gains of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB)—the 2014 peace accord between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)—and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Both were milestones in the long journey toward lasting peace and genuine self-governance for the Bangsamoro people.

We stand in solidarity with the people of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in advocating for genuine sectoral representation and the removal of all barriers to their right to vote and be represented.

There is no time but now for peace to reach those who have suffered most from conflict—especially women, children, and vulnerable communities. The upcoming elections must be peaceful, inclusive, and truly representative, with gender justice at the heart of leadership and decision-making.