ASOG holds forum on the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and its Women Agenda

The Ateneo School of Government, through its Participate Project, held a forum entitled BARMM PARTICIPATE TALKS: A Forum on the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and its Women Agenda on May 06-07, 2023 in Cotabato City.

The forum gathered various women leaders and stakeholder representatives from different areas of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to discuss updates on the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC) and preparations for the 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections. It featured lectures and panel discussions from speakers with strong background on BARMM governance, women empowerment, and political party development.

On the first day, Members of Parliament Hon. Atty. Sha Elijah B. Dumama-Alba and Hon. Baileng S. Mantawil discussed the salient points of the BEC highlighting its women agenda and strategies to maximize political participation among women in BARMM. Ms. Jackie Cañiza and  Ms. Jacqueline Retes-Luy of Haraya Coaching provided the participants a session on personal development and leadership including tools on self-work leadership assessment.

The second day was opened by a keynote message from Ms. Amina Rasul-Bernardo, President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy on the role of stronger political participation among BARMM women in peacebuilding. Dr. Julio C. Teehankee, Chief of Party of Project PARTICIPATE, then led the session on understanding political parties in the Philippines. A panel discussion on electoral campaigns for political parties joined by Ms. Georgina Hernandez - Yang of Galing Pook Foundation, Inc., Ms. Rafaela David of Akbayan Citizens Action Party, and Ms Arlene Santos of Institute of Politics and Governance, Inc. closed the two-day forum. 

BARMM PARTICIPATE Talks is an initiative under Project PARTICIPATE, a non-partisan, pro-democracy coalition dedicated to engage and empower the political participation of the Filipino people.