PH, Malaysia back BARMM polls, target $10-B trade
The Philippines and Malaysia have recognized the September 14 parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as a major milestone in sustaining the gains of the decades-long Mindanao peace process, as the two neighbors moved to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, security and other strategic areas.
The upcoming polls figured prominently in the 9th Philippines-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), co-chaired in Manila by Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro and Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan.
The elections will be the first regular parliamentary polls in BARMM, allowing Bangsamoro voters to choose representatives who will form the autonomous region’s first elected Parliament. More than 2.39 million voters are registered for the historic exercise.
According to a news release from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the two ministers described the elections as an important step in advancing democratic participation, community empowerment and inclusive development in the Bangsamoro.
Malaysia’s support carries particular weight because of its long-standing role in the Mindanao peace process. Beginning in 2001, Kuala Lumpur served as third-party facilitator of negotiations between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, hosting talks and later leading the International Monitoring Team that helped oversee ceasefire and security arrangements.
Malaysia’s facilitation helped sustain negotiations that eventually produced the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which paved the way for the establishment of BARMM.
During the JCM, Mohamad reaffirmed Malaysia’s continued support for peace, stability and inclusive development in Mindanao ahead of the September 14 elections.
Beyond the Bangsamoro transition, Lazaro and Mohamad reviewed opportunities to expand an economic relationship that has been gaining momentum.
Two-way trade reached US$8.22 billion in 2025, making Malaysia the Philippines’ ninth-largest trading partner globally and fourth-largest within ASEAN. From January to May 2026, bilateral trade increased 9.5 percent to US$4.21 billion, from US$3.46 billion during the same period in 2025.
Malaysia is now looking to raise bilateral trade to US$10 billion within the next two years, with the two governments seeing opportunities in the digital economy, artificial intelligence, digital payments and skills, energy transition, agriculture and food security.
The countries are also exploring stronger cross-border investment and cooperation in the halal and Islamic finance ecosystem, where Malaysia has an established regional position, as well as energy, disaster management and emergency response.
Corporate ties already extend across banking, retail, infrastructure, telecommunications, agribusiness, energy and consumer products. Malaysian companies with substantial Philippine operations include Maybank and CIMB in banking and financial services, while major Philippine businesses with Malaysian operations include Petron, Jollibee, Universal Robina Corp. and Aboitiz-linked agribusiness interests.
The JCM likewise reviewed growing defense ties and opportunities to strengthen legal cooperation and exchanges involving labor migration.
Both countries agreed to promote closer people-to-people links through culture, education, tourism and improved connectivity. Greater air and maritime connections could particularly strengthen economic exchanges among Mindanao, Palawan, and Sabah and support opportunities under the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).
The ministers also discussed food security and energy resilience as shared priorities for sustaining economic growth.
On sensitive territorial and maritime matters, both sides presented their respective positions while continuing broader bilateral engagement.
Lazaro and Mohamad also exchanged views on the conflict in the Middle East, developments in Myanmar and the South China Sea, emphasizing dialogue and cooperation in maintaining regional peace and stability.
The ministerial talks followed the Senior Officials’ Meeting on August 17, co-chaired by Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Leo M. Herrera-Lim and Malaysian Deputy Secretary General for Bilateral Affairs Dato’ Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin.
Established in 1993, the JCM is the highest bilateral consultation mechanism between the Philippines and Malaysia. The ninth meeting follows the revival of the mechanism in Kuala Lumpur in October 2024 after a decade-long hiatus.
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