MARAWI CITY — Bangsamoro voters should look beyond campaign promises and consider candidates’ track records, competence and commitment to public service in the region’s first parliamentary elections on Sept. 14, a former Bangsamoro lawmaker said. 

Lawyer Maisara Dandamun-Latiph, a former member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament and president of the Association of Former Members of the Parliament (AFMP), made the call during The Bangsamoro Lens podcast. 

The AFMP has 79 former parliamentarians who helped establish the legislative foundations of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

Latiph urged voters to choose candidates who have demonstrated their ability and commitment to serve Bangsamoro communities. 

“Piliin natin yung sa tingin natin na talagang they have the best interests of the Bangsamoro people at heart,” she said. 

She also urged voters not to sell their votes, saying their choices could affect their families and the region’s future. 

“Huwag nating ibenta yung future natin sa kakapiranggot na pera,” Latiph said. 

What voters will decide 

The Sept. 14 polls will elect the first Bangsamoro Parliament, giving elected representatives a direct mandate to govern the autonomous region. 

Each BARMM voter will choose one Regional Parliamentary Political Party, one parliamentary district representative and six sectoral representatives. 

The sectoral seats cover settler communities, youth, women, ulama and traditional leaders. 

Latiph said the Parliament’s five-year term makes voters’ decisions particularly important. 

She encouraged voters to examine candidates’ experience, competence and capacity to address issues affecting Bangsamoro communities, including poverty. 

“Sayang po ang ating boto,” she said. 

The election will mark a major step in the Bangsamoro transition, with voters choosing representatives who will help shape the region’s policies and direction for the next five years. 

The views expressed by Latiph are her own and do not represent an endorsement of any candidate or political party. (With a report from PIA-10)