THE Senate’s approval on third and final reading of Senate Bill No. 1823 brings the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao closer to holding its first regular parliamentary elections, a milestone that gives real weight to the Bangsamoro people’s right to self-determination and self-governance through a clear electoral mandate.
It is my firm belief that this not just a mere calendar adjustment, but an affirmation of the importance of the people’s voice, and a safeguard for institutions that must be accountable to the communities they serve.
For Barmm, this first regular election is historic. It is the moment when governance is strengthened by consent, not by executive appointment, and when leadership is earned through the ballot, not assumed through a prolonged transition.
It is also a message to every Bangsamoro family that their future is built with their participation at the center.
Peace is not sustained by agreements alone. It is sustained by a political process that people can believe in, where authority comes from a mandate that is expressed and renewed through elections. That is why this first parliamentary election matters: it keeps the peace process anchored on legitimacy, accountability and people’s participation.
At the same time, this approval raises the standard for preparation. We will work closely with Comelec and all concerned agencies to ensure that the process is orderly, transparent and honest, because repeated delays create uncertainty, and uncertainty weakens confidence in democratic institutions.
Finally, I extend my thanks to my colleagues in the Senate for their support, and to Comelec and the Barmm stakeholders who worked with us to refine and move this measure forward, including Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and a co-author and co-sponsor of the measure, for allowing me to chair the subcommittee hearings on the bill.
We also thank our fellow senators for their full support for this measure: our co-authors Sen. Imee Marcos, Sen. JV Ejercito, Sen. Robinhood Padilla, Sen. Loren Legarda, Sen. Erwin Tulfo, Sen. Bong Go, Sen. Win Gatchalian and Sen. Joel Villanueva, a majority of whom are also co-sponsors of SB 1823.
Our gratitude also goes to Sen. Panfilo Lacson who helped us polish the bill.
We now carry one shared commitment: to deliver a peaceful, credible and meaningful first parliamentary election for Barmm.
- Sen. Miguel Zubiri