When Mindanaoans grow weary of the national government’s interference, especially in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), or when followers of Rodrigo Duterte accuse the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of kidnapping and sending the former president to the International Criminal Court, talk of secession resurfaces. The idea of an independent Mindanao is not new, with centuries of history showing powerful sultanates ruling vast territories with their own diplomacy and systems of justice. However, the question remains whether Mindanao can truly stand on its own.
Supporters of secession argue that Mindanao is rich enough to survive, with fertile lands, minerals, energy, and fisheries, as well as a young and diverse population that is resilient and entrepreneurial. They believe that freed from national corruption and bureaucracy, Mindanao could chart its own path and invest directly in its people. Secessionists also claim that political self-determination would end decades of marginalization, with the BARMM’s self-rule seen as too limited and its decisions still subject to Manila’s approval.
Despite the emotional appeal of secession, the dream collides with hard realities. The 1987 Constitution defines the Philippines as an archipelagic state whose territory is permanent and indivisible, with no legal mechanism allowing any region or island to secede unilaterally. Attempting secession would provoke a constitutional crisis and likely meet strong resistance from the rest of the country. Beyond legality, the economic and governance challenges are immense, with Mindanao remaining tied to national supply chains, trade, and fiscal systems.
Rather than chasing secession, the more pragmatic struggle lies in deepening autonomy, making it meaningful, responsive, and locally accountable. The Bangsamoro government, despite its challenges, represents decades of negotiations and sacrifice. Strengthening its institutions, rather than abandoning them, honors the region’s long quest for self-determination. Genuine autonomy means devolving more fiscal power, improving governance, and ensuring that Manila respects local decisions. It means making development plans locally led and nationally supported. If the rest of Mindanao can secure a stronger voice in governance, the clamor for independence may naturally fade.
The true Mindanao aspiration is not isolation but recognition that the South has its own wisdom, governance traditions, and pace of development. Recognition that autonomy must go beyond token budgets and ceremonial titles. Mindanao’s frustrations are real, but separation is not the best path toward dignity and progress. What the region needs is not a rupture from the republic but a reimagining of autonomy – one that empowers communities, strengthens governance, and ensures that priorities are shaped by those who live them daily. True autonomy means self-determination within solidarity, not isolation. If the central government can learn to trust Mindanao’s capacity to lead itself, and if Mindanao’s leaders can govern with integrity and unity, the long struggle for self-rule might finally fulfill its promise, without drawing new borders on the map.
