MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday called on Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) local leaders to band together and ensure that the region’s parliamentary elections would be “successful and peaceful.”
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According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in a statement, Marcos made the pronouncement during the BARMM Mayors Conference at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on Monday afternoon.
“I am confident that the elections will be successful. And by successful, I mean that it will be peaceful. It will be accountable. It will be transparent, everything. All the things, ‘yung gusto natin sa eleksyon na hindi magulo, maliwanag ang resulta, hindi nagkakaproblema (We want in the election, not messy, the result is clear, there are no problems),” said Marcos.
“Minsan mahirap tuparin ‘yun pero talagang pipilitin natin (Sometimes it’s hard to do that, but we’ll really try), and hopefully this will be the most peaceful one that we have seen yet. But in any case, that is why I asked for all of you to come today because we are in need of your help. We need for you to be part of the effort that we are putting together. To make the elections a success,” he added.
Marcos then told stakeholders in Mindanao to take advantage of the opportunity to further develop the region through “unity and constructive dialogue.”
“Ang daming puwedeng gawin. There’s so much opportunity. And that is why very optimistic ako. Basta tayo magsama-sama. Basta’t tayo’y nagkakaunawaan. Basta’t tayo’y may sistema na ayusin ang mga problema. Basta’t mayroon tayong ganyan at nagkakaintindihan tayo,” Marcos said.
(There is so much to do. There’s so much opportunity. And that is why I am very optimistic. Let’s just stay together. As long as we understand each other. As long as we have a system to fix the problems. As long as we have that and we understand each other.)
Marcos said there are already companies eyeing doing business in Mindanao because of existing investments in BARMM, noting how huge manufacturing facilities could be put up in the region to provide employment and livelihood to local communities.
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“All of these opportunities here now are available to us. It’s up to us to take advantage, to grab the opportunity. Huwag nating palampasin (Let’s not miss this opportunity). The opportunity may never come back. But grab that opportunity now… The only way to do it is to work together and to understand one another,” the President said.