Voters in an autonomous southern Philippine region will cast their ballots Monday in the region's first parliamentary elections, seen as a crucial step in the quest for self-determination and lasting peace after decades of insurgency and violence.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM, covers five provinces, three cities and 63 villages across eight special geographic area clusters. It has nearly 2.4 million voters, with election officials aiming for an 80% turnout after polling was postponed for several years.
