After decades of war, rebellion, and loss, 2.4 million voters showed up to choose leaders for their new autonomous government. It’s not just about politics; it’s about whether peace can survive after bullets fall silent. The election came under heavy guard: 20,000+ troops on streets, ballot reprints after sabotage, and violence still flared; including shootings and damaged vehicles. But despite it all, 98% of polling stations opened. People voted. They’re tired of destruction. They want promises kept. The roots go deep. Since the 70s, 150,000+ lives were lost in Mindanao. In 2017, ISIS-linked fighters turned Marawi into ruins. The peace deal in 2014 was the first real hope; rebels laid down arms, accepted autonomy instead of independence. Now, this vote is the test: Can self-rule hold? Can elections replace gunfights? One 22-year-old voter put it simply: “Whoever wins, hopefully we will see change.” That’s the real story here; not the headlines of violence, but the quiet courage of people trying to build something better, one ballot at a time.