A Vote for Peace in Mindanao's Fragile Future The voting has begun in the Philippines' Muslim majority south, a region still reeling from decades of conflict and terrorism.
The election is being touted as a crucial test of efforts to bring lasting peace and development to this troubled area, but it will be more than just a fleeting promise only if it succeeds.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was created in 2019 as part of a peace deal between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the country's largest Muslim separatist group.