THE Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP) has renewed calls for the swift enactment of the Bangsamoro districting law, stressing its importance in giving the Commission on Elections (Comelec) adequate time to prepare for the region’s first parliamentary elections scheduled for March 30, 2026.
In a statement released on Monday, December 15, 2025, Special Assistant to the President Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr. emphasized that the passage of a legally sound districting law is critical to ensuring a credible, inclusive, and orderly electoral process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm). The legislation will define parliamentary districts that serve as the foundation for electing members to the Bangsamoro Parliament, a crucial step in the region’s transition to a fully elected government.
Legal hurdles delay electoral preparations
The call comes amid ongoing efforts to finalize redistricting measures after the Supreme Court invalidated earlier districting laws, including Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts Nos. 58 and 77, citing constitutional and procedural issues that left the region without a valid legal framework to hold elections in 2025. As a result, the polls originally set for October 13 were postponed, and the Comelec was directed to schedule the elections no later than March 31, 2026.
Public consultations on several proposed districting bills, including Parliament Bill Nos. 403, 407, 408, 411, 415, and 416, have drawn strong participation, underscoring widespread public interest in the electoral process. The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has defended the consultations as essential to crafting a “transparent and inclusive” redistricting measure that fairly represents the region’s diverse communities.
In urging the Senate to act with urgency, Lagdameo highlighted the impressive turnout at these consultations as evidence that Bangsamoro residents are prepared to exercise their right to vote, reinforcing the need for lawmakers to finalize the districting law without further delay.
“The passage of a Parliamentary Districting Act is not just a technical requirement but the final key to unlocking the ballot box,” he said. “It guarantees that when the people cast their votes next year, every community is fairly represented and every voice is counted.”
Ensuring representation and upholding autonomy
Lagdameo also applauded the BTA for its commitment to transparency and inclusivity throughout the preparatory process, and he called on residents to maintain their civic engagement. “Your active involvement is the strongest defense of your autonomy,” he said, framing public participation as essential to ensuring that the region’s governance reflects the will of its people.
“The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has always envisioned a Bagong Pilipinas where every Filipino is empowered to chart the nation’s course,” Lagdameo added. He underscored that for the Bangsamoro, this vision is realized through democratic processes that respect the spirit of autonomy and ensure leaders are accountable to their constituents.
BARMM elections timeline and verified facts
The first-ever Barmm parliamentary elections are now set for March 30, 2026, according to the Commission on Elections’ official calendar of activities, which also outlines key deadlines for filing certificates of candidacy and campaign periods.
This follows earlier disruptions to the electoral timeline: the original May 12, 2025 elections were postponed to October 13, 2025 by law, but that date was subsequently scrapped after the Supreme Court struck down the districting framework, ruling that no valid legal basis existed for holding elections without compliant electoral districts.
Under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the regional parliament will consist of 80 members, including 32 district representatives, 40 party-list representatives, and eight sectoral representatives, once the districting bill is passed and elections are held.
As Barmm moves closer to electoral milestones that will formally usher in an elected regional government, Lagdameo’s appeal underscores the urgency of legislative action that balances legal compliance with the democratic aspirations of the Bangsamoro people. DEF