Unlike other ethnic groups surveyed, the Teduray and Lambangian communities prioritize infrastructure and public works as their most pressing issue (44.6%). These communities, clustered in remote areas of southwestern Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, lack basic amenities such as electricity, running water, social services, and proper roads, according to IAG Research.
This reflects the immediate need for economic stability in the region.
Read more: IAG Research: Livelihood Top Priority for BARMM Voters
A May 2024 survey by IAG Research finds that the majority of likely voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) lack awareness of the new voting system and key features of the upcoming 2025 regional parliamentary elections. With the elections only a year away, the findings highlight significant gaps in voter education.
A recent survey by IAG Research finds that women’s issues are among the least cited as the single most important concern of the autonomous region’s voters, ranging from just 0.3% to 1% of respondents. This is particularly striking given that the majority of likely voters in BARMM are women (54.2%). The findings suggest that in a region where poverty is pervasive, economic survival takes precedence over advancing gender equality.
In a significant move towards peace and security, over 40 peace agents from Western Mindanao convened to evaluate the status of peace and security in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the island provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).