NEWS




5October
Participants attend Voter’s Education Program at Guindulungan Municipal Gymnasium on September 28, 2024

Over 1,000 MILF-BIAF Members, their families from Camp Badre Attend Voter’s Education Roll-Out

COTABATO CITY (October 3, 2024) — Over 1,000 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) and their families of Camp Badre participated in the Community Roll-Out on Voter’s Education at the Municipal Gymnasium in Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Saturday, September 28.
The event was organized by the Bangsamoro Multimedia Network (BMN) in collaboration with the Bangsamoro Parliament, supported by The Asia Foundation (TAF) and the UK Government. Alongside BIAF members, the event also included 70 participants from the Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade (BIWAB), 100 members of Political Committees (PolCom), and their registered voter family members. 

Atty. Alianna Arnica Mambatao, OIC of the Legislative Measures and Legal Assistance Division of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), spoke about the 2025 BARMM Parliamentary Election. 

Mark Christopher Ramirez from COMELEC National delivered an online lecture on the 2025 National and Local Elections, including the use of the new Automated Counting Machine (ACM). 

Local officials, including Mayor Midpantao Midtimbang Jr., Vice Mayor Guiadzali Midtimbang, Chief of Police PLT Patrick Dangalao, MILF-CCCH representative Salih P. Agay, and Em Batunan, Deputy of the 104th Base Command, also attended and shared messages. 

This Community Roll-Out is a significant step toward encouraging active participation in the upcoming elections. It provided essential information and inspired community members to engage in the democratic process, which is vital for development and peace in the region. 

By teaching participants about election processes and new technologies like the Automated Counting Machine, BMN and its partners demonstrated their commitment to enhancing knowledge and creating opportunities for community members. 

BMN Executive Director Faydiyah S. Akmad thanked everyone who contributed to the program’s success, including BIAF-MILF Chief of Staff Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” A. Macacua, Toks Ebrahim, Dr. Tomanda Antok, and Mohagher Iqbal, Chair of MILF Committee on Information. 

E.D. Akmad also expressed gratitude to the Bangsamoro Parliament, BIO-BARMM, COMELEC, TAF, the UK Government, the LGU of Guindulungan, participating individuals, and BMN volunteers from MSU-Maguindanao for their support. 

This was the first Voters’ Education Campaign conducted by BMN among the six recognized MILF camps in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, aimed at raising awareness about the upcoming elections in the country and the Bangsamoro region.