As politicians in BARMM gear up for the first-ever parliamentary election, there is talk about the need for a third political force. Recall that bloggers and analysts had a field day juxtaposing traditional politicians versus mujahideen of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the former holding sway over the vote-rich provinces and the latter seeking to stay in power and continue their leadership of the autonomous regional government.

The line seems to have been drawn between the alleged dynasties and the MILF’s government of the day. Many claim that a major segment of Muslim voters are weary of how things are with these two contending political groups and are looking for an alternative. They had the opportunity to serve but fell short of emancipating the people from the morass of political, social and economic ills.

Analysts refer to TESDA Secretary Teng Mangudadatu of Maguindanao del Sur, Abdusakur Tan of Sulu, Mujiv Hataman of Basilan, and Bombit Adiong of Lanao del Sur who are political titans with regional political parties vis-a-vis the United Bangsamoro Justice Party of interim Chief Minister Ahod Murad Ibrahim. All others seem to have been marginalized by this face-off with the former forming the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition and the possible alliance of the latter with the Bangsamoro Party (BaPa) of Muslimen Sema of the MNLF.

They overlooked, however, the emergence of a new genre of voters — the restless and militant youth and the women who can no longer sit idly by and look at things nonchalantly. They are rebelling against the status quo which has brought them nothing but stagnation, if not retrogression, in their socio-economic condition. They are looking for new faces and principled leaders to liberate them from the morass of stagnancy. The younger demographic could be the tipping factor or swing vote in the coming political showdown.

History is replete with accounts of how students and the youth altered the trajectory of history with their militancy and demonstration. Recently, we saw how students in the United States nearly paralyzed the educational institutions with their indignation rallies against the unabated genocide of innocent non-combatant Palestinians in Gaza which has breached the 35,000 mark without sparing children, the elderly and women. In the Philippines, history records the First Quarter Storm which started the road to exile of the namesake of the present President.

The 2025 election offers the people the opportunity to make changes by voting in a new class of leaders, upright and moral, who are capable of decoupling themselves from selfish personal, family and group interests for the national interest.

True, all these political parties are founded on sound principles, visions and missions. They all proffer good governance and reforms as their promotional tool. Unfortunately, the people are tired of rhetoric and are more swayed by optics. They look at the parties as the reflection of the politicians promoting them. If the party is led by a traditional politico, they look at the party with the same lens. And this is unfortunate because the leaders of these parties are not all “tradpols.” Many, in fact, have in their ranks young and principled men who are idealistic and reform-driven.

Looking at the roster of registered regional parties that will participate in the parliamentary election, these parties are more identified with the political dynasts we mentioned earlier, except for one or two.

The Partido Moro Ako stands out as one party whose leaders and members do not include familiar, popular and traditional politicians. In fact, they are professionals and mostly students and youth who are staking their fate in the election with the principles upon which the party was founded.

They don’t have the 3 “Gs” or guns, goons and gold. They cannot claim a single territory as their bailiwick. They are banking on the volunteerism of members because they don’t have the wherewithal to structure a well-oiled campaign machinery.

They rely very much on the awakening of the critical mass demanding reforms. They picture vividly the real problems of the region which the present leaders have for decades of stewardship failed to address. They offer transformative change.

Don’t count them out. They might yet pull a surprise.

amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com