ANFREL members in the Philippines welcomed the passage of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code in the Philippines.

The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) said they welcome the passage of the code and hoped that it would pave the way for the success of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections in 2025.

NAMFREL said the code will aid in defining:

(1) the conduct of free and fair elections,
(2) a political party system that is truly based on principles and platform of government and representative of the residents of the region,
(3) participation not just in voting but also in running for office and in observing all steps of electoral processes in Bangsamoro, and
(4) the mechanisms for transparency and responsibility.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) also congratulated the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament on this milestone and expressed commitment to work with all stakeholders to continuous lobby for pending legislations including the BARMM Regional Political Party Subsidy Fund and Redistricting.

LENTE said they are grateful for the opportunities to conduct various consultations in the region and an opportunity to provide insights and recommendations to the Committee on Rules and to other members of the Parliament.

Under the code, the Parliament will have 80 members where 50% will be filled by party representatives, 40% by district representatives and 10% by sectoral representatives. The first regular election will be held and synchonized with the 2025 national elections.

Read the full statements here: NAMFREL on the passage of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code | LENTE's statement on the enactment of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code